Pulse
by logicproblem
Summary: 12 years ago, Kimberly's life changed forever. Now, with her best friend gone and her heart breaking secret on the verge of exposure,she seeks out the one person she needs the most. What will happen when Tommy discovers the results of their past actions?
1. Walk the Line

**_AN: This is another Kim/Tommy story I wanted to explore. Somewhat AU, so please do not flame if some of the information is not how you remember it from the original series! The story begins around the time of "I'm Dreaming of a White Ranger", just after the start of the Ranger's senior year. Jason, Trini and Zack are included in this story, but they are not Rangers. Kimberly lives in Florida at this point, training for the Pan Globals. Katherine is now the current Pink Ranger. Before PRZeo. There will be a time change later on, fast forwarding into the present time. Don't worry, I'll let you know when and where it happens! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!_**

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 1  
Walk the Line**_

_December 26th, 1994  
Kimberly's House  
Angel Grove, California_

"Okay, you ready?" the young woman asked her friend. The girl in pink nodded slowly. Trini flipped the thin, plastic applicator over and revealed the tiny window. A pink line, _positive._

Kimberly stared at the line in shock, tears forming in her eyes. She covered her mouth with her hand and shook her head violently.

"Kim, it's okay. I'm right here to help you," Trini told her calmly, rubbing her best friend's back. Kim started to hyperventilate through her hands. She leapt from the edge of the bathtub, where she'd been sitting and ran to the bathroom door, slamming it shut and locking it. She spun around to face her Asian friend, who was still standing beside the bath.

"Trini, what am I going to do? I'm supposed to finish my training when I get back. The national games are in two months! I don't even how far along I am, or whose this is, or how this happened . . . and my mom! What am I gonna tell my mom? Do I look . . . ?" Kimberly rambled, stammering at the last part as she attempted to say the dreaded word.

"_Pregnant? _No, Kim, you're not showing at all," Trini told her gently. Kimberly gave her friend a pathetic smile and whimpered as she sank to the floor, crying.

Trini crossed the tiny bathroom and kneeled in front of Kim, placing a hand on her leg. "Kim, you have got to calm down. There are plenty of options. First though, I want to talk you through some questions, okay?" Trini asked her soothingly. Kimberly nodded feebly, wiping her face with the back of her hand.

"Now, I know you're upset, but let's back up for a second. You're not showing at all, and you just noticed that your period was late so, let's assume you're still in the first trimester," Trini explained rationally. Kimberly grimaced at her friend's clinical approach, but nodded agreeably anyway.

"Okay, who have you slept with, in the last three months?"

Kimberly gave Trini an offended glare. _Duh, Trini. Who else would I have slept with?_ She thought to herself.

"Tommy," she confessed quietly. Trini simply nodded and continued her inquiry. "So it's safe to assume that the baby is his?" Trini asked. Kimberly nodded, burying her face in her hands.

_How had this happened?_ She thought to herself. She knew exactly how it had happened. In fact, if she was honest with herself, she could have told you exactly _when _it had happened, too.

Kimberly Hart had been offered a place on the Pan Global Gymnastics Team, in Miami, about seven months ago.

It had been her dream as long as she could remember to be an Olympic gymnast. When the world renowned gymnastics' coach, Gunther Schmidt had offered her the chance, she took it, but not without certain sacrifices.

Kimberly Hart had been the Earth's first pink Power Ranger. She had served the super hero team loyally for three years. When the time came to make a choice; hand over her power coin to the team's recently acquired ally, Katherine, or remain a Ranger and give up her dream; Kimberly chose the former.

Along with saying goodbye to the Rangers, Kimberly was also forced to say goodbye to the love of her life, Tommy Oliver. Granted, they knew they'd see each other again, if not as frequently, and they had both decided to remain involved with each other, seeing as neither of them imagined their lives without the other.

Kimberly had surprised everyone by returning home for the holidays, having been allowed a break from her rigorous, training schedule. Trini, Jason and Zack had also returned home for the holidays, having completed their duties as teen peace ambassadors in Switzerland. But Tommy was the most ecstatic to see Kimberly, _and she him_.

She had arrived back in her hometown of Angel Grove, December 12th. _Two weeks ago_. After the first week of relaxing and catching up with the whole gang she had missed so dearly, she and Tommy decided to plan a quick getaway to his Uncle's Cabin, just north of the city. They had missed one another's company terribly all summer, letters and emails and brief phone calls couldn't replace the real thing.

In a frenzied, but certain moment of unrelenting passion, Tommy and Kimberly lost their virginity to one another.

That was a week ago, before Kimberly had known she was due to have her period over the holiday. But when her period didn't arrive, she panicked. She immediately knew in her gut what had transpired, but she refused to admit it.

Nevertheless, she had to find out if she was indeed pregnant, so she enlisted the help of her closest friend, Trini Kwan.

Trini had been absent for the past year and a half of Kimberly's life, having had to reacquaint herself with her once tied to the hip, best friend in just these past few weeks. However, there was no one else in the world Kimberly trusted, save for Tommy. Not even her own mother, would she trust with this type of information. Of course, at the moment, she wouldn't trust Tommy with it either.

Trini never placed blame or judgement on the crazy things Kimberly always seemed to do. Trini was patient, resolute and wise beyond her years. Kimberly had always admired those qualities in her graceful, quiet friend. Kimberly herself was feisty, headstrong and boisterous. Qualities that were most certainly attractive in their own right, but that didn't necessarily help every crisis. And _this_, _was a crisis._

"Are you going to tell him?" Trini asked, breaking Kimberly from her thoughts. Kimberly stared at her friend, terrified.

"I don't know if I can, Trini! I mean, I know I_ should_ tell him, but what do I do if he like, totally abandons me and doesn't want anything to do with it?" she asked, biting her lip in worry.

Trini gave her a small smile and hugged her petite friend. "Kim, Tommy would never do that! He's a good guy, Besides, how are you going to keep it a secret after the child is born? Even if you did decide to not tell him?" Trini asked, pulling away to face Kimberly once again.

Kimberly sighed loudly and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I don't think I want it," she told the girl in yellow.

Trini gave her a worried look and furrowed her brow. "Kim, are you sure about this?" she asked quietly.

Kimberly swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. "I'm sure. And, if I'm not going to have it, I don't want to tell Tommy," she added. Trini released a thoughtful breath and stood up, offering her hand to Kimberly. Kim obliged and pulled herself up to face Trini.

"Okay," Trini said finally. "I'll help you make an appointment tomorrow," she added, resting her hand on Kimberly's shoulder before heading for the door. Kimberly grabbed Trini's hand and stopped her as she unlatched the lock.

"Thanks, Trini," Kimberly said softly, on the verge of tears once more. Trini hugged her friend tightly.

"Of course, Kim. I'll take this secret to the grave," she told her, releasing Kimberly before opening the door and leading them out of the bathroom.

_**AN: Sorry for the short chapter, just establishing. Please R&R! This is NOT a one-shot! There will be a full story! Please watch for the next chapter coming soon!**_


	2. To Be or Not to Be

_**AN: A few awkward days pass before Trini escorts Kimberly to her appointment. What will happen next? Please read and review! Thanks! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own the plot of the story, I do not own anything Power Ranger related.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 2  
To Be or Not to Be**_

_December 29th, 1994  
Planned Parenthood  
Angel Grove, California_

"Kim H.?" the nurse called out, propping the door from the hallway with her hip. Kimberly's head shot up. She turned and gave Trini a panicked stare. Trini rubbed her back and smiled. "I'll be right here if you need me," she whispered to her friend. Kimberly nodded and slowly stood from her chair, crossing the sterile waiting room toward the door.

As she made her way down the hall, a few steps behind the nurse, Kimberly noticed some of the rooms were occupied. The doors, slightly ajar. Her mind began to wander, imagining everything from the mundane to the horrific entered her mind in the matter of seconds.

"Have a seat," the nurse instructed, shutting the door behind them. Kimberly set her purse down on the floor beside the examination table and hopped onto the padded cushion. She shifted in her seat as the nurse continued to peruse her paperwork.

"Okay, your friend called for you, is that correct?" the older woman asked her. Kimberly nodded carefully. She knew it was typical form for the nurses, and even doctors, to be formal and direct, but it was still unnerving.

"I'm just going to review the information she gave us, okay?" the nurse started. "You're 17 years old, correct?"

Kimberly nodded, biting her lip as the nurse checked off each answer on her clipboard.

"This is your first pregnancy, you are not on birth control, and you're unsure how far along you are, and you'd like to perform the procedure, correct?" the woman rattled off, Kimberly nodding with every question asked.

"Okay Kim, I'm going to need you to get undressed and lie back on the table for me. There's a gown right over there. I'll be back in a few minutes, and we'll determine how far along you are, see if this procedure is possible, okay?" the woman directed, smiling tightly and closing the door behind her.

Kimberly steadied her breathing for a moment before hopping down from the table and proceeding to undress. After what seemed like an eternity, the nurse finally returned, pulling in a bizarre contraption on a cart, behind her.

Noticing Kimberly's face, the nurse released a slight chuckle and shut the door behind her. "Kim, this is your ultrasound. We'll use this to determine how far along you are, and to make sure there aren't any other complications," the nurse assured her. Kimberly gave her a weak smile before laying back against the exam table.

The ultrasound took about 15 minutes. As the nurse finished, she wrote a few notes on her clipboard before addressing Kimberly.

"Everything looks normal, let's get you cleaned up. I'm going to speak to the doctor briefly and we'll be back in a moment," the woman explained. Kimberly breathed a sigh of relief as the nurse began wrapping up the cords and gently setting them back on top of the cart that held the monitor. The woman wiped her stomach clean before discarding the towel and leaving the room.

Kimberly sat up from the table, bit her lip and studied the room. Approximately ten minutes had past before the nurse returned, this time accompanied by a doctor. Kimberly gave the women a bashful smile and she shifted in her seat.

The doctor approached her, pulling a chair over to the side of the exam table. "Hi Kim, I'm Dr. McDaniel," the woman offered Kimberly her hand. Kim shook her hand tentatively, anxious to know the information her ultrasound had revealed.

"Nurse Andrews and I have the results of your scan. I take it this was not a planned pregnancy?" Dr. McDaniel asked her. Kimberly lowered her eyes and shook her head. Dr. McDaniel smiled and motioned to Nurse Andrews to fetch something.

"You are less than a week along. So we don't see any reason why you can't go ahead with the abortion if you still want to do that. However, I am required by law to administer these pamphlets, just so you understand the possible risks of the procedure. I'll tell you right now, the process itself is virtually painless, but it can be an extremely emotional decision, even for the women who are sure about it," she explained gently to Kimberly, handing her the aforementioned pamphlets.

Kimberly took the booklets from the woman and began scanning through their pages, seeing staged photos of women with animated thought bubbles over their heads, mulling over their decision.

"Now, we are able to perform the procedure today, but I strongly recommend that you make another appointment, after you've had a chance to read the information and think through your decision," Dr. McDaniel told her.

Kimberly looked up at the woman with tears in her eyes. "I. . .umm . . . I'm here for the holiday . . . I have to leave town . . . I need to do this today," she stuttered. Dr. McDaniel nodded her head and turned to Nurse Andrews.

"Go ahead and set up room 14," she said quietly to the nurse. Nurse Andrews nodded and gave Kimberly a small smile as she left the room. "All right Kim, we'll go ahead and get everything set up for you. Nurse Andrews will be back in a few minutes to escort you to the surgery room. Can I get you anything while you wait? Juice? Water?" Dr. McDaniel asked the frightened young woman.

Kimberly shook her head and swallowed with difficulty. The older woman smiled and gave Kimberly's arm a gentle squeeze. "You'll be just fine. This is not an easy decision to make, no matter what the circumstances are," Dr. McDaniel told her, rising from her chair and pulling it back to its original location before shutting the door behind her.

Kimberly continued to flip through the pamphlets as her mind began to wander. _Was she really going to do this? Is this what she wanted? What else could she do? _She thought to herself. She knew she loved Tommy, but this was the last thing that either of them needed to deal with. After all, she was training to become an olympian and he was _literally_ saving the world. She had three days left in Angel Grove, before she had to return to Florida and finish training for the national games. The national games were the precursors to the Pan Globals, which was the precursor to the Olympics. If Kimberly could make it through these next few months, she was confident she could place on the team. Having a baby, would surely rid her of that chance.

_But then there was Tommy._ _It was, technically his child too, or would be._ _Would she ever tell him?_ Before she could answer her own thought, Nurse Andrews reentered the room, ready to lead Kimberly into surgery.

Kimberly took a deep breath and collected her clothes as she followed the nurse out the door and down another long hallway.

_**AN: Another short chapter, sorry. They'll get longer once we enter the present time. Please Review!**_


	3. On Her Feet

_**AN: Thank you to everyone who's reviewed! I know the chapters have been short so far, but I try to end them in**__** appropriate places. Anyway, Kimberly's still at the clinic, what happens next? Find out below! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 3  
On Her Feet**_

_December 29th, 1994  
Planned Parenthood  
Angel Grove, California_

Trini had been sitting in the waiting room for over an hour. She glanced at the clock and tapped her feet nervously, hoping that her best friend was okay.

As if on cue, the doors to the exam rooms opened and Kimberly slowly came out, a nurse following close behind. Nurse Andrews handed off a clipboard containing Kimberly's paperwork, to the receptionist behind the booth.

"Kim H. is finished. Just have her double check all of her waivers and forms before she leaves," Nurse Andrews explained to the other woman, who nodded and began separating the papers.

Trini shot up from her seat and ran to Kimberly, who had been holding her stomach since she returned. Trini's eyes started to water as she watched her petite friend. Kimberly still looked terrified.

"How are you feeling?" Trini asked her quietly as she led them up to the counter to encumber Kimberly's bill.

Kimberly shook her head and said nothing. Trini rubbed her back before handing off the paperwork Kim needed to sign. Kimberly weakly scribbled her signature before handing the sheets back to Trini, who returned them to the receptionist.

"Thank you ladies, have a good day," the woman behind the counter told them. Trini smiled and nodded, wrapping an arm around Kimberly's shoulder as they left the building.

"I don't mean to sound insensitive, but that bill was a lot cheaper than I thought it was going to be!" Trini said lightheartedly, attempting to break the tension. She gave Kimberly a playful nudge as the two approached Trini's car.

"Thank you for taking care of it," Kimberly told her softly, collapsing into the passenger seat. Trini saddled into her own chair and gave Kim a sympathetic smile.

"Of course, Kim. You've had enough to deal with, it's the least I can do," Trini consoled, starting the ignition.

"Would you be willing to do one more thing?" Kimberly whispered. Trini grabbed Kimberly's hand and squeezed "Absolutely. What?" she asked. Kimberly looked at Trini with tears in her eyes and cleared her throat.

"Help me raise my baby," Kimberly choked out as tears began to pour. Trini gasped and threw the car back into park. She reached over and hugged Kimberly tight.

"Oh my god," Trini mumbled as she held Kim's shaky body. "I couldn't do it, Tree," Kim wailed. Trini just continued to hold her friend, stroking her hair. "I gotta admit, I'm so relieved," Trini told her quietly.

Once they parted, Trini shifted the car into drive once again and pulled out of the parking lot. They made their way toward Kimberly's house in silence, both settling from the shock of the newest development.

Kimberly hadn't gone through with the abortion, which meant she was still pregnant. Trini had silently agreed to be the baby's Godmother and Aunt. What would Kimberly do once she left Angel Grove? Would she still train for the Pan Globals? How would she support herself? But the biggest question on their minds was, _What about Tommy?_

Trini pulled into the Hart residence and shut the car. As the girls were getting out, the front door of Kimberly's house swung open, revealing Kim's mother, Aisha, and a frantic Tommy.

"Where have you been all morning?" Tommy asked desperately, scooping Kimberly into his arms. She involuntarily laughed as Tommy tickled her sides, but then stopped abruptly when his hand grazed her stomach.

"Nowhere, " she snapped, pushing him away from her. Tommy gave the other woman a confused look and then zeroed in on Trini.

Trini threw her hands up in defeat. "All right, you caught us! We were at the mall, dress shopping for the New Year's Eve party," Trini said in mock surrender.

Kimberly mouthed a silent "thank you" to her friend, who simply winked. Tommy groaned while Aisha fumed.

"Thank God you didn't tell me!" Tommy said playfully as Kimberly's mom laughed at her daughter's boyfriend.

"You didn't bring me with you?" Aisha seethed jokingly. Trini and Kim gave her apologetic grins before embracing her.

"Sorry Isha, it was kind of a _spur of the moment _thing," Kimberly told her, trying her best to go along with the lie.

"Don't worry though, we have to go back anyway. As you can see, we're empty handed," Trini added, smiling. "And this time, Tommy . . . you're coming with us," Trini directed to him, poking his chest with her finger. He groaned once more, receiving satisfied giggles from the four surrounding women.

"Well, I should be getting home. Girls, call me if you decide to make that second trip later tonight!" Aisha said, hugging Kimberly and Trini good bye. She waved to Mrs. Hart and mounted her bike, previously leaning against the house and rode away.

"I made lunch, let's eat," Mrs. Hart said, looping an arm around Trini as Tommy and Kimberly hung back in the driveway.

"Sorry I made you worry," Kimberly said softly, attempting to hide the greater turmoil she was facing. Tommy gave her a smile and kissed her cheek. "S'okay," Tommy drawled. "You can ditch me anytime you want to go shopping," he joked. Kimberly gave him a pathetic smile and wrapped her arms around his waist as he led them back inside her house, joining Trini and her mom.

_**AN: Will Kimberly tell Tommy? What will he say? Quick thinking Trini! Find out what happens, next chapter! Catch ya on the flip side! Haha! Please Read and Review!**_


	4. Speaking Of

_**AN: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! New Year's Eve arrives. What will happen between Kimberly and Tommy? Find out next!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 4**_  
**_Speaking of . . . _**

_December 31st, 1994  
Trini's House  
Angel Grove, California_

Kimberly was in rare form. True, she loved parties, she loved the holidays, and she loved dressing up, but her over enthusiastic facade was starting to worry Trini.

"Kim, have you spoken to Tommy?" Trini finally asked, interrupting her friend's excitable tirade that she had patiently humored for the last hour.

Kimberly stopped curling her hair and shot Trini a look through the mirror. "No," she said flatly. "Trini, can we please not talk about this right now? We're supposed to be getting ready for the party! Please don't bum me out," Kimberly whined.

Trini gave an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. "Okay," she muttered under her breath. It wasn't like Kimberly to be in denial, but then again, she _had_ just made one of the hardest decisions of her life.

Kimberly returned the curling iron back to her hair and continued to get ready. Trini watched for a moment as Kimberly sang to herself in the mirror. Trini shook her head and started to get dressed.

_The Youth Center_

The drive from Trini's house to the party had been quiet, save for Kim's humming as she followed the songs on the radio. Trini had desperately wanted Kim to talk to Tommy before she returned to Florida, of which she had two more days to do so. She pushed the thought from her mind as they parked and headed inside.

The entire room was sparkling, filled with silver streamers and balloons, cardboard stars and other various, glittery decorations. The space had also been divided into quadrants. The juice bar being the drink and refreshment area; the North wall, designated as the activities area, with tables set up for games and a couch for hanging out. The East wall was made up of a sea of chairs, facing a giant television set that Ernie had rented for the party. The middle of the space and along the south wall where the girls had entered, was the dance floor, complete with a disco ball hanging from the ceiling.

The rest of the gang was already there, scattered among the other people that had been invited by Ernie. Zack was sitting at the counter, flirting with Aisha. Rocky, Adam, Jason and Tommy were playing cards, Bulk and Skull were patrolling the perimeter, and Billy and Katherine were helping Ernie set up the refreshments. Aisha was the first to spot Trini and Kimberly enter, causing Zack to blush as he turned around to face his friends.

"Ladies! It's about time you two showed up! Come on Trini, let's dance. I have to prove to Miss Campbell here that I wasn't just bragging," Zack joked as he pulled Trini's arm and led her to the dance floor. Kimberly and Aisha laughed as Trini looked back at them with panic in her eyes.

"That boy is crazy," Aisha said. Kimberly giggled as Zack danced around Trini, causing the Asian girl to blush. "Did I notice a little something going on between you two?" Kimberly mused. Aisha rolled her eyes and gave Kimberly's arm a playful smack.

"Girl, hush. Zack is just a flirt! Besides, you know as well as I do, whom I like," Aisha said, sighing longingly as her eyes made their way across the room. Kimberly giggled and waved as Adam Park made his way toward them, laughing as he watched Zack continue to toss Trini around like a rag doll.

"Wow, Zack sure has some moves, doesn't he?" Adam asked bashfully, smiling at them. Aisha giggled, glancing past Adam's shoulder. Kimberly observed her two friends, darting her eyes back and forth knowingly.

"Hey, why don't you two get out there and show Zack how it's really done!" Kimberly said, pushing Aisha and Adam onto the dance floor. Adam laughed nervously and bowed his head, waiting for Aisha's response.

Aisha shot Kimberly a mortified glare. "Are you sure Kim? I mean, I haven't gotten to spend that much time with you this trip," Aisha asked pointedly, indicating her apprehension.

Kimberly laughed and waved her away. "Oh! Don't be silly. You'll see me plenty throughout the night. Go! Dance and have fun, I want to talk to Tommy, anyway," she said as Aisha backed up onto the dance floor, mouthing _"I'm so gonna get you back for this" _as she spun around and coyly took Adam's hand.

Kimberly giggled and shook her head as she made her way across the room toward the other boys. Tommy shot his head up as she approached and pulled her down onto his lap.

"Hey beautiful," he whispered, rubbing her back as he steadied her on his leg. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before addressing Rocky and Jason. "Whatcha playin'?" she asked.

Jason shook his head and threw his hand face down on the table as he leaned back in his chair. "Texas hold 'em. I'm not doing so hot," he sighed. Rocky, on the other hand was hunched over the table, crunching noisily on a cookie as he studied his hand fervently. Kimberly giggled as he absently wiped the falling crumbs from his mouth.

"How 'bout you, Rocko? You doing good?" she asked, shaking her head in amusement. "Better than that cookie is that he just devoured," Tommy laughed, watching his friend from across the table. Jason and Kimberly chuckled at Tommy's comment as Rocky looked up from his cards.

"You're supposed to keep a poker face. I'm not telling anybody how I'm doin'," he said in mock stubbornness.

Kimberly leaned over to glance at Tommy's hand. He noticed, turning the cards toward a bit more. "What do you think, Kim? What should I do?" he asked, looking up at her. She bit her lip and kissed his nose.

"I don't know, where's everyone at?" She asked, turning back to the other guys. Jason straightened up in his chair and grabbed his cards. "Well it's my turn, and I'm checking," he said, tapping his knuckles on the table.

Rocky rearranged the cards in his hand and grabbed another cookie off of the plate beside him. He studied the table as he popped the treat into his mouth. "Ummawaise fweehundwed" he mumbled, tossing a small stack of poker chips into the center.

Kimberly covered her mouth with her hand and snorted. Rocky wiggled his eyebrows excitedly as the table waited for Tommy. He glanced at the table, comparing his hand to the community cards spread out. Kimberly leaned over and whispered in Tommy's ear.

"He's bluffing," she told him. "How can you tell?" he whispered back, keeping his eyes straight ahead. Kimberly cupped Tommy's ear as she whispered her theory, receiving a smile and a nod from Tommy.

"I'll see your three hundred, and raise you two," Tommy declared, firmly placing his stack into the pot. Jason snickered and tossed his cards down. "Forget it, I'm folding," he huffed as he stood from his chair. "Anybody want anything to drink?" he asked.

Rocky raised his free hand as his face remained deeply engrossed in his cards. Jason shook his head and laughed.

"A diet coke please," Kimberly chirped. Jason nodded and pointed to Tommy. "Bro, you want anything?"

"Nah, I'll just steal sips from Kim's drink," Tommy said, enthralled in the game as Rocky was. Kimberly gave Tommy's arm a playful slap. "No way! You hate diet coke. Jason get him a Dr. Pepper, please?" she asked sweetly.

Jason chuckled and nodded. "You got it. A diet coke for the pink princess, a Dr. Pepper for Tommy the tiger and a _bib_ for Magilla Gorilla, no problem," he joked, placing a hand on Rocky's shoulder as he left.

Kimberly and Tommy started laughing as Rocky broke out of his trance and yelled after Jason. "I want a hot chocolate with extra marshmallows!" he called out. Jason's faint _"yeah, yeah, yeah's"_ could be heard as Rocky returned to the game.

"Check," he said finally, glaring at Tommy. The boy in white returned his stare and gave a silent tap on the table.

The two boys slowly revealed their hands, Rocky lurching over the table to compare. As Tommy finished laying his down, he started to laugh.

"Aww, man!" Rocky groaned, shoving another cookie into his mouth. "Fatsounfur," he mumbled, pointing to Tommy's hand in disbelief. Kimberly giggled at Rocky, chewing his food violently as he continued to fume.

The wiry boy in red swallowed with difficulty before wiping his mouth with his hand. "Man, Tommy was totally going to lose before Kim showed up. This sucks," he huffed, crossing his arms. "I'm gonna go eat something," he pouted, storming off toward the juice bar.

Tommy and Kimberly gave each other a high five before he scooped her from his lap and spun her around. She giggled as he set her back down. "Thanks, beautiful," he said softly as Kimberly smiled. "You're welcome, handsome," she echoed.

"Rocky's such a little kid," Tommy joked, looking past Kimberly to witness Rocky argue with Jason about the lack of marshmallows in his drink. Kimberly spun around to see for herself. The couple laughed as Tommy leaned down and rested his chin on Kim's shoulder.

"I hope our kids aren't allowed to visit Uncle Rocky very often," Tommy joked, wrapping his arms around Kimberly's waist. Kimberly froze in shock as Tommy's flippant comment settled. She threw his hands off her and ran toward the door, tears in her eyes. Tommy steadied himself as his weight was shifted. "Kim!" he called out, a stunned expression on his face.

The two couples on the dance floor stopped as they watched Kimberly run out. Trini backed away from Zack and ran after Kimberly. Aisha nodded to Adam and did the same. Zack and Adam stumbled over to Tommy as Jason and Rocky returned from the bar.

"What just happened?" Tommy muttered under his breath. "What'd you say?" Jason asked, confusedly. Tommy shrugged and shook his head.

"I hope she's okay," Adam said softly. "Don't sweat it man, it's probably nothin'," Zack offered, placing a consoling hand on Tommy's shoulder. Tommy nodded absently as the rest of the guys pulled him back to the poker table.

In the bathroom, Kimberly was heaving over the toilet seat, retching nothing as she fought with herself to regain composure. There was a soft knock on the door, revealing Trini, not waiting for her friend's approval to enter.

Aisha came in a few seconds later, flushed and out of breath. "What . . . the . . . hell," she asked between pants of hard breath. Kimberly shook her head and pointed toward the door, still faced down in the stall. "Leave, Ish, please," Kimberly choked out. Aisha gave Trini a hurt look. _Why did she have to leave?_ She thought to herself. Aisha shook her head, _this was not a time to be selfish_, so she begrudgingly did what she was told, casting a furtive glance toward Trini before leaving. Trini nodded her head and locked the door behind Aisha.

Once they were alone, Trini pushed the stall door open to reveal her friend hunched over the seat, a dissonant chorus of coughing and sobbing.

"Kim, what happened?" Trini asked her quietly as she leaned over and gently held Kim's hair. Kimberly spit into the bowl before sitting back on her calves and ripping a wad of toilet paper from the roll. She slammed her back against the stall wall and wiped her face and mouth.

"Trini, he asked about our children," Kimberly said absently, staring blankly at her hands. Trini gave her a confused look. "What do you mean? You mean he knows?" Trini asked her earnestly. Kimberly shook her head and sniffled.

"No, I mean . . . we were laughing at how childish Rocky was and then he whispered in my ear about not letting our children visit their uncle Rocky," Kim explained, tears starting to fall once again. "I mean, of all the things to say, ya know?"

Trini gave her a sympathetic smile and stood up, offering a hand to help her up as well. Kimberly took it and brushed herself off. "Wash your face," Trini instructed, handing her a damp paper towel. Kimberly took the cloth slowly, gliding the towel aimlessly over her tear stained face.

"I think it's a sign, don't you?" Trini asked her softly. Kimberly shot Trini a vicious look, receiving a sudden stern one from Trini as her tender visage began to waver.

"Kim, I'm serious. You need to tell him, and you need to tell him now!" Trini firmly stated. Kimberly tossed the napkin into the trash can and smoothed out her hair before turning to face her friend.

"You know what? I don't want to! I can't, Trini. I can't tell him. I don't know why, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I have to leave in a couple of days and figure out what the hell I'm going to do with the rest of my life, while he gets to continue on with his, without a care in the world!" Kimberly barked.

Trini shook her head. "If you told him, he would help you. You know that, Kim. Tommy would never just abandon you. Did you see him out there? He's absolutely in love with you, Kim. He would do anything for you! You owe him this much, just tell him!" Trini pleaded, rubbing her forehead in frustration.

"No. I can't. I don't want to take the risk. I'll do what I can when I get home, I'll fake an injury so they'll kick me off the team if it means this child won't be scrutinized. You're the only one who can know about this, okay? Please Trini?" Kimberly asked pathetically.

Trini gave her an uncertain nod of the head before releasing a deep sigh. "Then break up with him," Trini stated flatly. Kimberly's eyes widened in horror at what her best friend has just proposed.

"Excuse me?" Kimberly asked, not sure if she had understood the instruction. Trini crossed her arms and shrugged.

"If you're not going to tell him, you shouldn't stay with him. He's going to find out Kim. If you don't want that, then remove him from the equation," Trini explained carefully.

"I don't want to break up with him. I love Tommy!" Kimberly whined.

"Then tell him that you're carrying his child," Trini sighed, completely exasperated. Kimberly snickered and crossed her arms.

"Oh! I see . . . I can't wait until I've figured out my own life first, right? I have to be considerate of everyone else! What _everybody else_ needs! I can't do that, Trini!" Kimberly cried, smacking the wall as she spoke.

Trini held her hands out in a defensive pose. "Kim, the longer you wait, the more it's going to tear you up inside that Tommy doesn't know. What are you going to do? Wait until the child is old enough to start asking questions about its dad before you tell him? Kimberly, I can't believe that," Trini admonished.

Kimberly drew in a sharp breath before her anger gave way to tears again. Trini was the last person she wanted disappointed in her. She had done so much for Kim already, and she needed her wisdom through this.

"I'm sorry, Tree," Kimberly muttered. Trini tilted her head and approached her petite companion. "It's okay, Kim. I know this can't be easy, but you've already made the_ tough_ decision. You're going to have the baby, now what?" Trini considered, hugging her friend as she spoke.

"You're right, Tree. I need to talk to him. But when? How?" Kimberly stuttered through her quiet sobs. Trini considered her thoughts for a moment. She had offered the break up as a scare tactic, not a real solution. But if Kim saw it as her only option, Trini would help her as best she knew how.

"Well, not tonight. Just enjoy his company as much as you can until you have to leave. We'll talk more about this tomorrow, okay?" Trini offered. Kimberly nodded as she crossed back to the sink and washed her face once more.

As the girls returned from the bathroom, the crowd was starting to gather around the television set. Kimberly glanced at her watch. They had a little less than an hour before midnight, but the anticipation was just too exciting. Trini led them up the stairs to the juice bar, where they were greeted by Ernie.

"Hey girls! How you doin'?" Ernie drawled. The girls laughed and gave Ernie heartwarming smiles. "Hey, the rest of the gang is by the game tables, wanna help me bring this tray of champagne over to them?" he asked them.

Kimberly eyed the champagne sereptiously, unsure if that was the best beverage to consume. Ernie misinterpreted Kimberly's concern and gave her a wink. "I know you kids aren't 21 yet, but a little bubbly on New Year's never hurt anyone, right?" he whispered to her playfully. Kimberly couldn't help but smile as she followed him across the room, carrying another tray filled with plastic flutes of champagne.

"Hey guys! I brought ya some refreshments, help you get in the mood!" Ernie announced to the packed gaming table where the remaining 8 former and current Rangers all sat, spread out amongst a rather involved game of monopoly.

Tommy chuckled as Ernie handed him his glass. "Hey thanks, Ernie! Isn't this uh . . . a little illegal?" He mused as he took a small sip, wriggling his nose as the bubbles burned his throat. Ernie laughed as he continued to pass out the flutes. "Don't worry about it, Tommy! Like I told Kimberly, a little bubbly never hurt anyone!" He echoed himself, receiving appreciative laughs as he made his way around the gang.

Tommy coughed slightly as Kimberly approached the table, carrying another tray of champagne. They exchanged tentative glances before Tommy finally spoke. "Hey," he said quietly. Kimberly gave him a sad smile, knowing that their fate was entirely in her hands, and she was digging a watery grave.

"Hey yourself," she whispered back. Trini slid up behind Kimberly just long to witness their exchange before setting down her own tray of champagne and handing off a different drink to Kim.

"Why don't you two have a chat," Trini urged, pushing them both toward the center of the room. The rest of the gang inadvertently stopped playing to mark their friend's reaction to each other. Kimberly and Tommy blushed as they both spun around and walked away from their teammates.

"You trying to make me look like a lush?" Tommy asked her playfully, once they were secluded in the corner. Kimberly tilted her head in confusion before looking down at the drink Trini had handed her and laughed. It was a champagne flute, filled with _milk._

"Umm, I'm not quite ready for champagne. Maybe later," Kimberly joked, knowing exactly why Trini had replaced the alcoholic beverage.

"Kim, I'm really sorry if I said or did something to upset you," Tommy offered, his tone suddenly turning somber. "I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that, right?" he asked. His words echoed in her head as she thought about her plans for the future.

"Of course I do," she chirped, receiving a soft kiss on the cheek. Kimberly shut her eyes, though the kiss remained on the side of her face. She didn't deserve him, a thought that made her consider telling him the truth, but she wouldn't. She didn't want to spoil the image he had created of her, for him. Telling him she was pregnant with his child, almost performed an abortion, then decided to keep it and contemplated not telling him . . . would definitely spoil his image of her. And if she was going to go and ruin her own life, she'd like to remain beautiful in Tommy's _memory_, at least.

The rest of the gang watched on, as their most notorious pairing seemed to be making amends. "Aww, now _that_ is what I'm talkin' about!" Zack piped in, clapping a hand on Tommy's shoulder as he approached the couple.

Kimberly gave a slight giggle as Tommy reached for the high five Zack presented him with. "Glad you're okay, Kim," Adam said, coming up behind Zack and Tommy. Kimberly gave him a smile before reaching out to hug him.

"Thanks Adam, I'm fine," she lied, although it was nice to pretend for the moment. "Hey Zack, think you can handle me now? You know, now that Trini has warmed you up?" Aisha challenged the former black Ranger teasingly. Zack gave Adam and, Kimberly and Tommy a knowing wiggle of the brows before spinning around and sliding over to Aisha.

"Girl, I am so ready! Let's do this," he beamed, leading her onto the dance floor. One by one, more couples started to join in the celebration, Zack's energy being as contagious as it was. Jason paired up with Trini, Adam paired up with Kim, and Rocky paired up with Katherine. Billy and Tommy remained on the sidelines, watching their more graceful friends shake their tail feathers.

"How was your holiday Billy?" Tommy struck up a conversation with his friend in blue. "It was an extremely pleasant experience, I must say. My dad was in more jovial spirits than I had seen him in a long time," Billy spoke cryptically, much to Tommy's chagrin.

"That's good, right?" Tommy joked. Billy gave him a bashful smile. "S'okay, Billy. I knew what you meant," Tommy assured him.

"So, you and Kat seem to be spending an awful lot of time with each other . . . " Tommy trailed off, curious to finally shed some light on Billy's elusive sexuality, which the whole gang had begun to question recently.

Billy blushed and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Kat's a great girl," he said simply. Tommy narrowed his gaze at the blue Ranger. "I don't believe our feelings for one another are mutual, but I still enjoy her company," Billy clarified. Tommy threw his head back slightly and snickered.

"It's still early, who knows what'll happen, right?" Tommy offered, resting a hand on Billy's shoulder. Billy shrugged as Adam and Kim approached them.

"Billy, your presence is requested by the lovely, Katherine Hillard," Kimberly teased, motioning to the dance floor with a flourish. Billy exchanged an awkward glance with his friends before moving tentatively toward the group of dancers. Adam gave a slight chuckle before addressing Tommy.

"I thought I'd let you cut in," he smiled through his offer. Kimberly glanced at Adam and back to Tommy, extending her hand. Tommy gave Kimberly a wink and patted Adam on the back. "Thanks, man," he told the young man. Adam nodded politely and headed over to the gaming table once more.

Out on the dance floor, Aisha was giving Zack a run for his money, which was a pleasant surprise. Aisha teased him as she'd strut away and then suddenly stop, turn and face him. He'd look her over as he bopped in rhythm toward her, where she'd throw a hand in his face, turning the other cheek. Zack would then grab her by the hand and twirl her into him, and then whisk her off with a few tango steps, cheek to cheek before dipping her back and pulling her up again to face him.

Tommy and Kimberly laughed as they watched the seemingly innocent flirting between their two friends. "Aisha can deny it all she wants, but she totally digs Zack," Kimberly mused as her and Tommy swayed a bit more casually then their comrades.

"Why, what does she say?" Tommy asked her, smiling as he gazed down upon her. She returned the smile and stood on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. "She said she likes Adam, but every time I call her out about Zack, she tries to shut me up," Kimberly giggled, returning her feet to the floor. Tommy laughed as he glanced over his shoulder once more to witness the undeniable fire, raging between the former black Ranger and the current reigning yellow empress.

"The lady doth protest too much, me thinks," Kimberly quoted wistfully. Tommy nodded and returned his gaze back to her.

"I freaked you out when I mentioned the kid thing, didn't I?" Tommy asked her suddenly, still swaying awkwardly along to the music, despite Kimberly's attempts to lead. She fidgeted in his embrace for a moment, unsure if she should at least provide him with _some_ information as to why she had run off the way she did.

"Yeah, kind of," she said casually. "I guess I just wasn't expecting to hear you talk about us like that," she admitted. _That was at least half true._ Granted, she loved Tommy and she was an idiot if she didn't know how he felt for her, but the thought of their relationship lasting into parenthood was a bit frightening, current circumstances or not.

"I meant it though, just so you know," Tommy continued, spinning her around gently as the music began to pick up.

"What if we had children now?" she asked before thinking the question through. Tommy's eyes widened and a mischievous grin rested on his lips.

"Why? You wanna escape to the parking lot and get started?" he whispered, breathing down her neck as he spoke. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of his breath on her skin. She hated herself right now. With every innocent attempt to muster some courage, she baited him even more with misguided thoughts about their future. Suddenly her eyes snapped open and she pushed him away, ever so gently, as to not arouse the suspicion that something was wrong. She forced a giggle and bit her lip.

"Come on, let's ring in the new year," she said slowly, pulling his hands toward the mini arena that Ernie had set up for the midnight celebration. There was 10 minutes left before they would say goodbye to 1994 forever, and the mass of people had already started to pile in front of the television, gabbing away as the Dick Clark New Year's Eve special ran its course on the screen.

Ernie began passing out renewed glasses of champagne as the rest of the gang made their way over to the seats. People were sitting on one another's laps, craning their necks to get a good view. Kimberly swiped a flute for herself before Trini stopped her and cleared her throat.

"Kim, why don't we trade? You don't want your diet coke to go flat!" she suggested unconvincingly, handing her the can of soda. Tommy gave Trini a puzzled look before glancing back at Kimberly, who stood flaring her nostrils at her best friend.

"I don't think she'll go crazy from just one glass, Trini," Tommy assured her, pushing her hand away gently. Kimberly narrowed her eyes at Trini before downing the glass. Trini rolled her eyes and shook her head as Tommy chuckled. Kimberly wiped her mouth with her hand and handed her glass off to Tommy.

"Would you get me another one?" she asked Tommy sweetly. Tommy snorted and looked to Trini. "See? She's fine!" he mused, turning to search for Ernie and the traveling tray of champagne. Trini glanced around to make sure Tommy was gone before she laid into Kim.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a harsh whisper. "You shouldn't be drinking that!" Kimberly snickered as she crossed her arms. "Trini, two glasses are not a big deal," she condescended. Trini gave her a sigh and threw her hands up in defeat. "Okay . . . just be careful," Trini instructed. Kimberly nodded tightly as Tommy returned with three new glasses, one for each of them.

He handed them off to the girls, holding his above his head. The countdown was about to begin. "Ladies, get ready!"

Tommy directed Kimberly followed suit, while Trini reluctantly raised hers. Jason shimmied his way through the crowd to place himself next to Trini as the group started counting down.

"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1! Happy new year!" the crowd shouted in unison, followed by noisemakers rattling and howling.

Jason reached over and pulled Trini toward him, planting a firm kiss on her lips. Kimberly and Trini gasped simultaneously as Jason invaded her mouth. Tommy whistled and took Kimberly by the waist and gazed at her.

She returned his stare and smiled sadly. He leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss. Kimberly melted into his embrace as he pulled her closer to him, minding the champagne in his free hand. Slowly, their lips parted, granting each other access into a fuller, more passionate lock. Kimberly inhaled his scent as their tongues danced around one another, silently praying for a happy ending someday with this man. When the need for air became unavoidable, the couple reluctantly parted but remained side by side.

"Happy new year, beautiful. May this one be greater than the last," he offered, holding his glass to cheers with hers.

"Happy new year, handsome," she said wistfully, letting their glasses clink. "Here's to a clean slate," she added as they chugged the remains of their drinks.

_**AN: Whoa. So she didn't tell him. What will happen next? Will Kimberly follow Trini's advice? Or will she throw caution to the wind and confess? Find out next time! Please Read and Review!**_


	5. Narrowing Down

_**AN: Thank you to everyone who's reviewed! I've gotten a lot of great feedback on this story! I'm glad you were all pleased with Kimberly's decision to keep the child. What happens now? Kimberly's back in Florida, and she still hasn't told Tommy. What will happen? Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 5  
Narrowing Down**_

_March 25th, 1995  
Howard Kwan's Residence  
Miami, Florida_

"Thank you again, Trini," Kimberly told her friend. She had been on the phone for more than three hours, thanking Trini for all the help she had provided a week ago. Kimberly was allowed one visitor per month, and since last week corresponded with Angel Grove's spring break, Kimberly had invited Trini to stay with her. Tommy was disappointed to discover he wasn't invited, but understood that she'd probably have more fun with her best friend.

It's not that Kimberly didn't want to see Tommy. In fact, she pined for him, but there were other complications. For starters, she was now practically three months pregnant, and beginning to show. A recent development that had gotten her some suspicious looks from her fellow teammates.

When Trini arrived in Miami, the girls immediately sought out the help of Trini's Uncle Howard, a famous scientist in his own right, and one of the most open minded and trusting individuals, Kimberly had ever met.

Trini explained the entire situation to her Uncle, knowing full well that his only hesitation would be not informing Kimberly's mother. Trini pleaded with the older man to keep Kimberly's predicament under wraps, just until the baby was born. Trini would be done with school in a few months, and then she could spend the summer helping Kimberly as she drew closer to the baby's due date.

Uncle Howard agreed to let Kimberly stay with him as she grew farther along in her pregnancy. The tricky part, was informing Coach Schmidt and the team. The association would surely inform her mother, unless Kimberly could claim an expendable injury, making it impossible to finish training.

So that's what they did, much to Uncle Howard's reluctance. He had no objection to helping his niece's friend in a most certain dire circumstance, but lying and covering for her was a different story. However, as an adult, he held the most inconspicuous motives for reporting an injury. In the past, gymnasts who had grown tired of the grueling schedule and wanted time away, called in for themselves. Claiming a twisted ankle or a fracture or some kind. If Uncle Howard called, informing the coaches that while Kimberly was visiting him and his niece, she happened to have slipped and fallen, resulting in a concussion and knee fracture, then the association couldn't do anything but believe the old man's story.

Which brings us back to the present. Kimberly sitting on the phone, thanking Trini for convincing her Uncle to keep her while she waited out the pregnancy.

"Have you talked to Tommy?" Trini's voice droned, having asked that question for the hundredth time.

"No, but I've been meaning to ask you about that," Kimberly said, biting her lip. Trini's voice perked up, relieved that her friend had finally given the issue some thought.

"I think I should break up with him," Kim said, her voice cracking slightly as she spoke the terrifying words.

"I think it's your only choice left, Kim. If you're not going to tell him," Trini agreed solemnly. She knew Kimberly didn't want to have to break up with Tommy, but leading him so far astray was only hurting their relationship without just cause. If Kimberly wouldn't tell him the truth, then she'd have to sacrifice their love, it was the humane thing to do.

"But how do I do it, Tree? I mean, I don't wanna talk to him over the phone. He'll try and talk me out of it," Kimberly whined.

"Write him a letter," Trini offered. Kim bit her lip, contemplating the thought. "Okay. Yeah, a letter's classier than an email, and it's more vague than speaking," Kimberly rationalized.

"But what do I tell him? I mean, I can't tell him I'm breaking up with him because I'm pregnant with his child!" Kimberly declared, leaping from her chair and pacing around her room.

"Tell him . . . tell him you've met someone else," Trini suggested, receiving a gasp from Kimberly.

"No way, forget it! That'll kill him! I don't want to do that!" Kimberly pleaded, running a tense hand through her hair.

"Kimberly, hear me out. If you tell him you've met someone else, that gives you the cleanest out from the relationship. That is, after telling him the truth of course," Trini explained as she pulled the receiver from her ear when Kimberly started to shout.

"I DON'T WANT TO HURT TOMMY!" Kimberly cried. Trini calmly hushed her over the phone.

"Kim, I know this isn't the perfect solution, but it's the fairest thing I can think of," Trini told her. Kimberly sniffled over the phone as she reached for her stationary set on the small wooden desk in her room.

"I guess this is it, huh?" she asked quietly, muffling her sobs with her hand. Trini coached her through a dozen drafts of the letter, before Kimberly finally pasted together the most sensible thoughts on a scrap sheet of paper and began transferring them to the note card.

She said good night to Trini and hung up the phone. Staring at the letter, Kimberly let her tears fall once more, praying that she was doing the right thing, saving Tommy the trouble of having to give up his life by helping her raise a child. _His child._

"If I'm not going to tell him, then this is what I need to do," Kimberly repeated Trini's words to herself. She gingerly tucked the letter inside its envelope and licked it shut.

Flipping the card over, Kimberly grabbed a pen and wrote Tommy's name on the front. Thinking twice about where to send it, she decided to address it to the Youth Center, where he was more likely to be, according to their last phone conversation. Tommy had told her, last time they spoke, that with the new Zeo powers the gang had received, new threats were happening almost daily, so he found himself at Ernie's most of the time, saving himself from having to explain to his parents about the mysterious disappearances.

She shook her head at the thought. "He has too much to worry about," she said to herself. "I couldn't ask him to give all that up. Not for me. I'm doing the right thing," she concluded, giving the letter one more furtive glance before shutting the desk lamp and heading to bed. Resolved that after tomorrow when she mailed the letter, Tommy would no longer be hers.

_**AN: So there's a slightly AU version of why Kimberly sent the letter. But what will happen years later? Stay tuned and find out as we enter into the present time and Kimberly and Tommy are all grown up. Until next time, Please Review!**_


	6. Back to the Future

_**AN: We're now moving toward the present. 6 years have passed since Kimberly sent the letter. What's changed in their lives since then? In this story, the Murianthias incident (as seen in PRTM) never happened. Justin (from PRT) is not present, although he is mentioned. Tanya (PRT) is present. Tommy and Kimberly reunite under some unfortunate circumstances. Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**AN (2): I realize that Kimberly breaking up with Tommy because she got pregnant isn't necessarily original, but Trini giving her the idea to write the letter was, and I needed it for my story. My apologies to anyone who was disenchanted with the last chapter. Now, on with the story.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 6  
Back to the Future**_

_September 10th, 2001  
Angel Grove Memorial Home  
Angel Grove, California_

"You ready?" a soft voice asked from behind the door. Tommy glanced over his shoulder to see his long time friend, Adam Park standing at the doorway, dressed in a stiff black suit, a hint of color coming only from the flecks of green on his black tie.

Tommy stood up slowly as he crossed the small waiting room and reached for the door. Adam led them out into the parking lot, where a row of cars all stood. Headed by a long, black hearse.

It was the second hardest day of Tommy's life. The first, although it paled in comparison at the moment, was about six years ago, when he received a letter from Kimberly, telling him she had found someone else. The second, as mentioned, was today. Trini Kwan's funeral.

Trini had been in a car accident on the third of September, dying instantly as her car was flipped over a busy California highway. Kimberly, Jason and Billy had been the first of Trini's friends to hear the news, followed by Tommy and Zack, and then the rest of the gang. Tommy had felt guilty for receiving the information at the same time as Zack had, seeing as Zack had been closer to Trini than he had. But the point was moot.

Tommy climbed into the car alongside Adam, Jason and Billy. Zack was in another car with Aisha, Tanya, Rocky and Katherine. Kimberly, on the other hand, he knew to be in the first car behind the hearse, saved for immediate family.

As Kimberly had agreed to delivery the eulogy and was most certainly the closest friend Trini had, the Kwan's allowed her a place in their vehicle.

The ride toward the Cemetery was long and surreal. Tommy watched in amazement as respectful drivers pulled over to allow the procession through. He had never been to a funeral, and he hoped he would never have to again.

As the guests slowly climbed out of their vehicles, Tommy spotted Kimberly, offering a guiding hand to a little girl dressed in black, wearing a pink and yellow ribbon in her hair. Tommy wondered who the child belonged to, seeing as she had gotten out of the same car as Trini's family. But the little girl was Caucasian, a fact that left Tommy slightly befuddled as he watched the older woman handle her with care.

A firm hand suddenly gripped his shoulder, breaking him from his thoughts. He spun around to find Jason, clad in a black suit to match his own, wearing a red and gold striped tie. The whole team had agreed to commemorate Trini's life, not only as their friend, but a fellow ranger, by wearing a hint of their old colors. Zack had worn a plain black tie, while Billy had worn a blue one. Rocky wore a slightly inappropriate, if not characteristic, blue and red checkered one, while Tommy had found a black marbleized tie with flecks of green, red and white.

The girls of course, wore traces of their color as well, along with a single yellow ribbon placed somewhere on their outfit. Tanya and Aisha, who had only ever worn yellow, donned their yellow ribbons in their hair, along with a yellow scarf and a yellow shawl, respectively. Katherine had worn her yellow ribbon around her wrist, complimented by a light pink sash around her waist. And finally Kimberly, who had worn the yellow ribbon around her throat, like a choker. The only hint of pink Kimberly had been seen wearing, was a pair of deep magenta, heart shaped, crystal earrings. A gift that Tommy noted, he had bought for her when they had celebrated their one year anniversary.

"Come on bro, the priest would like to speak to the pall bearers," Jason told him, breaking Tommy of his thoughts once again.

He, Jason, Rocky, Adam, Billy and Zack were the pall bearers, saving anyone else the devastation of having to carry the casket toward the grave. When each young man had been offered the position by Trini's parents, understanding full well should they decline, they all agreed immediately. They were honored, in fact.

As the priest instructed the pall bearers, the intimate group made their way toward their seats, underneath the small yellow canopy outside. Tommy did a double take as he spotted Kimberly again, handing off the little girl to Aisha. The child protested for a moment, not understanding why she had to leave Kimberly's side. Kimberly kneeled down to the girl's eye level and gave her a kiss on the nose, consoling her. Aisha lifted the little girl into her arms and gave Kimberly a squeeze on the shoulder before carrying her off toward the chairs. Kimberly glanced around, locking eyes with Tommy.

He stood in shock for a moment, not having seen her face in six years. She sent him a sad smile from across the yard. He returned the smile and gave her a wave before Trini's mother called for her, sending her back to tend to the woman's need.

He turned his attention back to the priest, who had just finished directing the rest of the men on how the Kwan family wanted the casket delivered. The pall bearers were to wait until the priest had finished his opening remarks about Trini's passing, ask that the group rise and pray, and then the men would follow Kimberly out to the grave site as the casket was placed in its pulley, readied to be lowered once the eulogy had been read.

As the priest dismissed the men, Tommy went in search of a drinking fountain, hoping that the small mausoleum at the cemetery entrance would have one. As he made his way across past the lines of cars still parked in their order, Katherine ran up behind him.

"Tommy," she said quietly, lacing her arm through his. He snapped his head in surprise, but then quickly settled into a rhythm as he and his second, former girlfriend walked arm in arm toward the tiny building.

"I need some water. I'm gonna run inside, would you grab my sunglasses for me? I think they're still in Jason's truck," he instructed, placing a thankful kiss on Katherine's cheek.

The tall blonde nodded and pulled away from his embrace, walking toward the red SUV, that sat among the rest of the cars.

Inside the mausoleum, Tommy glanced around before he saw what he was looking for, he smiled gratefully and marched over to the drinking fountain. As he settled his hand onto the faucet, he mumbled a sigh of relief as the icy liquid reached his mouth.

He lifted his head once again and cleared his throat, turning around once again to meet up with Katherine. As he opened the door, a child ran past him. The same little girl he had seen with Kimberly, ran past him toward the fountain he had just been using. He watched the child as she jumped a few times, unable to reach the faucet. He laughed to himself as she tried to prop her tiny feet on her tiptoes and catch a random splash of water from the pathetic flicks of the lever.

Tommy made his way back to the contraption and squatted beside the little girl. "Need some help?" he asked her gently, so as to not frighten her. But the little girl didn't flinch. She just stared at Tommy, as if looking through him.

He noticed it too, the eery mirrored image that their eyes seem to cast. The little girl had golden tanned skin, and large, brown eyes. Her chocolate brown hair was piled high into a precious ponytail, decorated with the pink and yellow ribbons Tommy had noticed earlier.

"I don't need any help," the little girl told him, reaching for the faucet with her all her might. Tommy chuckled as he stood back up, watching the tenacity of the child.

Tommy lifted her by the waist and propped her beside the faucet. Without protest, the little girl greedily lapped up the cool liquid. When she nodded in satisfaction, Tommy set her back down and stared at her thoughtfully once again.

"What's your name?" the girl asked him, ungracefully wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Tommy chuckled at the forthright attitude of the girl. "I don't get a thank you?" he asked her playfully, receiving a bashful grin as the child played with the hem of her dress.

"Thank you. What is your name?" the girl recounted and asked her question again, all in one breath. Tommy extended his hand and smiled. "I'm Tommy. What's your name?"

The little took his hand smiled brightly. "Anneliese," she said with a curtsey, displaying her dress with aplomb.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Anneliese," Tommy told her, bowing to reflect her gesture. The little girl giggled as the older man humored her.

Just as Tommy was about to ask the whereabouts of her parents, the door flew open, revealing Katherine.

"Tommy," her Australian lilt echoed against the stone walls. "They're about to begin," she told him, lowering her gaze to see the little girl, who had hidden behind Tommy.

"Friend of yours?" Katherine asked jokingly. Tommy gave her a confused look before looking down to see Anneliese, gripping his pant leg as she eyed the blonde woman carefully.

"Anneliese, it's okay," Tommy said through his laughter. "This is my friend, Katherine," he told the girl.

Anneliese stepped aside and slowly approached her, craning her neck as she spoke. "You're really tall," Anneliese said in awe. Katherine and Tommy shared a laugh as Katherine bent down to address the girl.

"Is that better?" she asked the girl sweetly. Anneliese smiled and nodded. "You talk neat," the little girl added, receiving a tearful smile from Katherine. Whoever this little girl belonged to, she was absolutely precious.

"Thank you," Katherine said, offering her hand as she stood once more. "I'm Katherine. You can call me Kat," she told the girl. Anneliese shook her hand vigorously and smiled. "I'm Anneliese. You can call me Annie," the young girl repeated back.

"Well then, Annie. Let's get you back, shall we?" Katherine asked, leading the girl out the door as she gave Tommy a wink.

Anneliese turned around and waved for Tommy to join them. "You can call me Annie too, Tommy," she told him as he picked up his steps to walk in stride with the girls.

As the trio approached the ceremony once again, a frantic Aisha came running over toward them. "Oh my gosh! Baby girl, where did you go?" Aisha gushed, swooping the girl into her arms as Anneliese hugged her tightly.

"Aunt Isha!" the little girl cried. "I was thirsty. Mommy said I could go get a drink," Anneliese explained sourly.

"Well, as long as mommy said it was okay, then I guess you're off the hook. But you shouldn't be wandering around by yourself! It's not safe!" Aisha playfully scolded the girl. Anneliese smiled and glanced over her shoulder, pointing to Tommy and Katherine.

"I wasn't by myself. See? My friends helped me! Aunt Ish, this is Tommy and Katherine. But you can call her Kat," Anneliese explained to Aisha.

Aisha rolled her eyes as the three adults started laughing. Anneliese gave them all a frustrated look, not understanding what was so funny, but then shrugged it off, smiling once again.

"You found her?" Aisha asked the pair, eyeing Tommy carefully as she spoke. Katherine shook her head and motioned to Tommy. "It was all him. They were practically best friends by the time I got there," Katherine joked. Aisha giggled and turned her attention solely on Tommy.

"Thanks for bringing her back," Aisha told him carefully. Tommy nodded, wanting to ask the question about the girl's parents once again before he was called by Jason. Tommy spun around and saw his friend ushering him to follow.

Tommy turned back to the girls and gave them a somber smile. "Guess we're ready to start," he said. Aisha and Katherine nodded, heading back to their seats with Anneliese as Tommy made his way toward the other pall bearers.

Once the priest had concluded his speech, and the crowd had risen, Kimberly led the six men down the aisle toward the site, where the whole procession awaited.

Once the men had placed the beautiful golden box down in its position, they quietly took their seats, as did the rest of the group.

Kimberly stood before the crowd, her large black sunglasses now on top of her head. She steadied her breath as she began her speech.

_The world is too dangerous for anything but truth  
and too small for anything but love. Ever patient and wise,  
to some of us, a daughter, a soul mate, a team mate, a best friend.  
She saved us every day, with kind words, thoughtful gestures,  
gentle hands on our tearful shoulders. Never once judging,  
questioning, or giving up. She fought for honor, but never sought  
a fight. She could put you in your place, but never rose  
her voice. Loyal and trusting, she kept our secrets with her, advised  
us when we asked, and held our hand when we didn't have the  
strength. When fear from darkness grows, turn on the light.  
She was the light, a golden yellow halo that held you captive  
with a smile. Our expectations could not hold a candle to the  
power she possessed. So let us not say in grief that she has been,  
but in thankfulness, say that she was. The world was very lucky  
to have you, and so was I. May the power protect you always.  
We love you, Trini._

Kimberly stepped away from the podium as the priest motioned to the pall bearers, who began lowering the casket.

Once the casket was placed, the crowd slowly began filtering away from the ceremony, tearful hugs and kisses were exchanged with friends and family, as the Kwan's headed off to their house, reminding everyone of the reception later that day. Tommy joined Katherine once again as the pair made their way toward Jason, who was still beside the grave, staring down into the earth.

"Hey bro," Tommy said softly, resting a gentle hand on Jason's shoulder. Jason wrapped an arm around his best friend before collapsing into him, sobbing quietly. Katherine rubbed Jason's back as the two men shared a rare embrace.

Tommy understood Jason's frustrated sobs. As his eyes moved to Katherine, Tommy suddenly imagined his own reaction if something ever happened to her. _Or Kimberly_, he thought deeper. Jason had always felt a fondness for Trini. And though he'd never actually said it, Tommy knew he loved her. They had shared many a conversation back in their youth about the two women they'd do anything for. For Jason, it was Trini. Kimberly of course, Jason would do anything for as well, having always been a big brother figure in the former pink Ranger's life. But Trini was special to Jason, and the fact that he hadn't ever confessed his love, was now absolutely heartbreaking.

Jason collected himself for a moment as Katherine took his hand. "We'll see you at the reception, right bro?" Jason asked him heavily. Tommy nodded as he hugged his friend good bye and gave Katherine a kiss on the cheek before the couple walked away, leaving Tommy to himself for a moment. He awkwardly glanced down at the casket, lying peacefully undisturbed.

Tommy sighed as he recalled Kimberly's speech. It was surreal at first, to hear her voice. Then, to register what she speaking about, was even more bizarre. He smiled as he thought about the hidden references to their Ranger days that Kim had included in her eulogy. They were subtle, thoughtful, and very true.

"The world was very lucky to have you, and so was I," he whispered to himself, Kimberly's heartfelt send off, echoing in his mind. Just then, a familiar tug came from below. He glanced down to see Anneliese, looking up at him with wide, chocolate eyes. He smiled at the girl, picking her up and propping her against his hip.

"Hey there, beautiful," he told the child, his own choice of words surprising him. Anneliese smiled and pointed to the grave. "Is Aunt Trini in there?" she asked innocently. Tommy suddenly felt his eyes water. First, that the young girl had been so direct yet uninformed. And secondly, that she had referred to Trini as her aunt.

"She sure is, sweetie," Tommy explained gently. Anneliese nodded, suddenly hugging Tommy's neck, crying softly.

Tommy flinched as her tiny hands wrapped around his throat, but quickly began rubbing the child's back as he softly hushed her quiet sobs.

"She's not coming back, is she?" she whispered. Tommy stroked the young girl's hair, stifling the tears he was being brought to. "No, she isn't," he whispered back. Trying to inject as much strength as he could into his voice, for the little girl's sake as much as his own.

"Annie!" a distant cry was heard. Tommy spun around, still holding the little girl in his arms. He glanced around the property trying to place the voice, when suddenly, he heard the girl's name again.

"Anneliese? Annie? Anneliese Hart! Where are you?" the voice cried out. Tommy squinted before realizing who was calling for the young girl.

"Mommy! I'm coming!" Anneliese shouted back. She pulled away from Tommy as he set her back down on the ground and gave him a wide smile. "My mommy's calling for me!" she told him dramatically. Tommy managed a small smile as he watched the young girl run with all her might toward the voice. Tommy's eyes froze when the little girl reached her mother.

Standing across the field, was Kimberly. Tommy remained in shock as he watched the little girl leap into Kimberly's arms and hug her tight. Kimberly seemed to be reprimanding the child for having run off when Anneliese pointed in Tommy's direction. Kimberly gave the girl a confused look before glancing over to see what her daughter was pointing at.

Kimberly's face went pale as she registered Tommy's figure, standing a few yards away. Tommy tried to flag Kimberly down before she set Anneliese back on the ground and pulled her toward the cars. Tommy stopped himself from shouting across the field as Kimberly quickly ushered the little girl into the car before her and shut the door.

As he made his way back to Jason's truck, Katherine, Jason, Zack and Billy were all standing in front of the car, presumably waiting for him.

"Hey bro, you ready?" Zack asked him solemnly. Tommy nodded, wanting to ask about Kimberly, but deciding to save it for a more appropriate time. He'd see her at the reception, and that'd be soon enough.

"Aisha went with Kimberly this time, and Rocky and Adam went with Tanya, so I'm riding with you guys," Katherine explained as they situated themselves in the large SUV and rode off toward the reception.

_**AN: This chapter was written with somewhat selfish intentions. I was devastated when the actress, Thuy Trang passed away. Anyway, since Trini was such a big part of the story, I wanted to pay tribute. Find out what happens at the reception, next! Happy Holidays! Please Read and Review! **_


	7. Reception Perception

_**AN: Later that same day, at the reception following the funeral service. Tommy receives more information about Kimberly and the little girl he met. Please Read and Review! Enjoy. **_

_**AN (2): The trailer for this fanfic is now available at Youtube! Please check it out!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 7  
Reception Perception**_

_September 10th, 2001  
The Kwan Residence  
Angel Grove, California_

Jason's car load arrived a half an hour after the service, having stopped by a few of their houses on the way to change clothes and grab any necessary items to bring to the reception. As the group entered the home, they were greeted by Trini's Uncle Howard, who welcomed them with hugs and handshakes.

The reception was modest compared to the actual service. Only immediate family and Trini's closest friends were invited back to the Kwan's house, Trini's parents knowing that _she _would have wanted a more intimate gathering.

Billy, Katherine and Jason made their way into the kitchen, where they were greeted by Rocky and Adam. Tommy and Zack hung back in the living room, before Zack took off when he found Aisha, leaving Tommy once again, alone.

He had only been to Trini's house once, during a cook out, so he hadn't really seen the inside. Of course, the house was currently decorated in more yellow than he imagined it normally was, and a giant photo collage of Trini was resting on an easel in front of the staircase. He stopped in front of it, admiring all the different pictures. Some were candid, others were school photos. Some included her family, others her friends. Tommy leaned forward to observe one photo in particular. It was taken in a hospital, with Trini holding a tiny newborn in her arms. Trini's Uncle Howard was beside her, standing proudly as they displayed the child. Then something in the photograph made Tommy's heart drop. Sitting in the hospital bed, was Kimberly, gazing proudly as her friend held the baby.

The pieces were adding up in Tommy's head, _Kimberly's a mother? _He wondered to himself._ But where's the father? _ Tommy certainly hadn't seen another man with Kimberly at the funeral. But perhaps her husband didn't know Trini all that well, or perhaps he didn't want to attend. Although Tommy found the latter thought a little peculiar.

He needed to find Kimberly. Aside from the fact that they hadn't spoken in six years, his curiosity about her was starting to grow. He wanted to ask her about her life, the letter, _anything._ He just wasn't sure if today was the most appropriate time to do so.

Back in the kitchen, Trini's mom was eagerly feeding Rocky, much to the dismay of his former teammates. How Rocky could maintain his voracious appetite under the circumstances, was beyond them. But Mrs. Kwan seemed grateful for the young man's enthusiasm and humor, so all was forgiven.

Katherine and Billy were seated at the kitchen table, sharing stories of their departed friend with Trini's father, over coffee. Although Katherine had a little less than half a year of exposure to Trini, she welcomed the opportunity to indulge Mr. Kwan's obvious want to reminisce.

Jason and Adam had wandered to the living room, finding Aisha, Zack and Tanya who had been looking through old photo albums. Jason glanced over his shoulder and saw Tommy, still standing by the staircase. He walked over to his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Tommy, without turning around, recognized his best friend's grip. "Hey bro," he said absently. "How you doing?" Jason asked him, now regarding the photo collage as well. Tommy shrugged and scratched his now shorn locks.

"I'm hanging," Tommy replied bitterly. Jason snickered. "No doubt," he said dryly.

"Did you see this?" Tommy asked his friend, indicating the picture at the hospital. Jason bent down to examine the photo. He furrowed his brow as he recalled everything his little sister had finally confessed to him, three years ago.

"Is that Kimberly?" Jason asked conspicuously, unconvincingly feigning ignorance. Tommy narrowed his eyes toward Jason, finding it interesting that his friend had mentioned Kimberly before Trini, who had been the one holding the child in the photo.

"Yeah, it is. And Trini's with her," Tommy said, motioning to the other woman in the picture. "Does Kimberly have a kid?" he asked bluntly. Jason sighed and gave Tommy an apologetic smile.

"Yeah, she does. A little girl," Jason began slowly before Tommy cut him off. "Anneliese?" Tommy suggested suddenly, silently cursing himself for not having put two and two together much sooner.

Jason's eyes widened. "Yeah, how did you know?" he asked. Tommy gave him a wry smile. "I met her at the service today. It didn't even register that she was Kimberly's daughter until just now! She's a sharp little thing. We bonded at the drinking fountain," Tommy said wistfully.

Jason snickered. "Did you?" he said, giving Tommy a sad smile, the irony of the situation not lost on Jason.

"She's an adorable kid. Kim and_ her husband _must be very proud," Tommy said tightly, fishing for an unspoken answer. Jason gave him a sly grin and punch his arm playfully.

"Don't worry, bro. She's not married," Jason told him, seeing a sudden flicker in Tommy's eye. "Really?" Tommy asked hopefully, just as another thought came to mind. "Oh, I see. They got divorced?" he asked knowingly.

Jason contemplated how to answer his friend's question before giving him a simple shake of the head. "Nope, not divorced. She was never married," Jason explained, hoping to imply more in his tone.

Jason knew it was a form of betrayal, not telling Tommy the truth. But he had given Kimberly his word, and in the end, when and if Tommy found out, _she_ should be the one to tell him, not Jason.

Tommy gave Jason a confused look before assuming another implication._ Kimberly had just gotten pregnant, and had the child. But then, who was the father? Probably that bastard she left me for_, he thought to himself. _Hope it was worth it, Kim. Where is he now?_ A perversely satisfied snicker escaped his lips, receiving a concerned look from Jason.

"You should probably talk to Kim," Jason suggested. Tommy nodded and glanced around the living room. "Where _is_ Kim?" he asked quietly, noticing some of the gang still hanging by the couches.

"I think she's upstairs with Uncle Howard and Annie," Jason told him, receiving an interested look from Tommy. Jason had clearly met Kim's daughter, and presumably knew her well enough to call her by her nickname. Of course, Tommy himself had just met the child this afternoon, and she had already allowed him to call her by that too.

"I guess I'll wait then," Tommy said, shrugging his shoulders as he glanced up the stairs for a moment.

"Tommy, don't be surprised if Kimberly doesn't say much," Jason warned him. Tommy gave his friend a hurt and confused look. _What was Jason not telling him?_ He wondered. "You know, she's probably got a lot on her mind right now," Jason added quickly, receiving a narrowed stare from Tommy.

"Uncle Jay!" Anneliese screamed from the top of the stairs. The gang that was previously relaxed on the couches turned as the little girl came bounding down the steps, into Jason's arms.

"Kimberly's daughter's adorable," Zack commented, receiving a sharp jab in the stomach from Aisha. Adam and Tanya exchanged a wild glance as they turned their attention toward Jason and the little girl, then to Aisha, then back to each other.

"Kimberly's _daughter_?" they both asked in a harsh, unified whisper. Zack gave Aisha a sheepish smile as Aisha rolled her eyes and nodded solemnly.

"Hey pretty girl, where have you been all this time?" Jason asked the little girl, setting back on the ground. Anneliese glanced over her shoulder and up to see Kimberly and Uncle Howard, descending the stairs.

"With mommy and grandpa Howie," Annie reported, pointing behind her. Tommy and Kimberly eyed each other conspicuously as she and the older man graced the landing.

"Say good bye to everyone Annie, you still have school tomorrow," Kimberly instructed. Annie nodded and gave Jason a ferocious hug as Howard and Kim embraced.

"Trish, Patrick; Annie and Kim are leaving," Uncle Howard called to his children in the kitchen, releasing Kimberly from his grasp.

Trini's parents entered into the living room with Rocky, Billy and Katherine close behind. Zack, Aisha, Tanya and Adam made their way over to the remaining group as well.

"Just pretend for now that you aren't surprised," Aisha quietly warned Tanya and Adam as she made her way through the crowd toward Kimberly.

"Bye girl, I'll see you later tonight," Aisha told her, planting a kiss on her cheek. Kimberly smiled as Annie made her rounds, starting with Trini's parents.

Kimberly gave Zack a playful nudge before hugging him, knowing that she'd see him and Aisha in a few hours.

Tanya and Kim shook hands, not having ever been terribly close. Then she moved to Adam, who simply couldn't hide his shock. Kimberly hugged him tightly, and whispered in his ear. "I know I should have told you. I'm sorry. I'll explain later, in better company," she explained, punching the last three words. Adam released her and gave her a knowing smile, sneaking a subtle glance at Tommy as he did so.

Rocky and Billy, who already held previous knowledge of Anneliese, embraced the little girl happily. She giggled as Rocky tweaked her nose and playfully shoved her toward Katherine. The blonde knelt down once again and shook Annie's hand.

"So Kimberly's your mommy, eh? I should have known," she told the girl quietly, receiving a confused but happy nod from the child. "Mommy says I'm more like my daddy," Annie told the woman. Katherine laughed at the little girl's innocuous comment while several of the other adults, save for a select few, eyed each other nervously.

"I bet you are," Katherine said innocently, giving Billy a suspicious glance upward. Billy nodded subtly and mouthed a silent, _"Later"_ as Katherine agreed, standing back up to face Kimberly.

Tommy watched from the outside the mass of people as everyone awkwardly said their good byes to Kimberly and Annie, wondering to himself if Kim was ever going to acknowledge him.

As the group began to separate, Kimberly spun around frantically, searching for her and Annie's coats. Uncle Howard made the move to the entryway before Tommy stopped the man. "I'll get them Uncle Howard," he told him politely. "I haven't said good bye yet." The older man gave Tommy an acquiescing nod and motioned him toward the hall closet.

Aisha and Jason stood nervously at the doorway to the hall, anxiously awaiting the couple's interaction. Tommy glanced back at his friends as Kimberly made her way with Annie, toward the door. "Knock it off you two, we'll be fine," he whispered coarsely. "We're not kids anymore."

As Tommy searched the closet, Kimberly gave Aisha and Jason a worried glance. Jason shrugged and Aisha nodded, silently mouthing, _" Tell him," _before backing away with Jason and moving back into the living room.

Kimberly shook her head and glanced down, only to find Anneliese beside Tommy, at the closet, guiding him through the coats.

"Mine is pink with white hearts," Annie said, gazing up at the tall man beside her. "And mommy's is black," she added.

Tommy gave her an amused chuckle as he flipped through the packed closet. "Well, a lot of the coats are black, sweetie," he explained to the girl, becoming slightly frustrated by the minute.

Kimberly couldn't help but smile as she watched Tommy interact with the girl. It was as if he already knew who she was.

"Got it!" he said triumphantly, revealing the tiny, rose-colored jacket, decorated with white, bubbly hearts, just as described. "There you are, beautiful," he said, helping the little girl thread her arms through the garment.

Kimberly suddenly caught a lump in her throat as Tommy's old nickname for _her_, was spoken to Annie. Tommy glanced up and gave Kimberly a tender smile as the little girl extended her arms, silently asking him to pick her up, which he did.

"Let's find mommy's coat!" Annie cheered, receiving a laugh from both adults. "Okay, let's find mommy's coat!" Tommy echoed the girl. Kimberly's eyes began to water at the pair's matching giggles.

"I found out! Mommy, I found it!" Annie called out to Kimberly, waving her over to the closet. Kimberly reluctantly did so as Tommy helped Annie slide the long, black coat off the hanger.

"Thanks," Kim said quietly, reaching for the clothing. "Mommy! Tommy has to put it on you, like he did me," Annie scolded her mother.

Tommy gave Kimberly a bashful smile as Kimberly bit her lip and turned around, allowing Tommy to guide her arms through the sleeves.

"There you are . . . " Tommy trailed off. He had wanted to use the affectionate pet name, but thought it better to remain more distant, even though there were still a million questions he wanted to ask.

Somewhat disappointed that he hadn't called her by her nickname, Kimberly quickly wrapped herself in the coat and turned to face Tommy once more.

"Tommy," she started to say, before receiving a shake of the head. "It's okay, Kim. Jason told me," Tommy explained, giving her a warm smile. Kimberly's eyes widened in horror. "What did Jason tell you?" she asked incredulously. Her wistful tone suddenly turning into paranoia.

Tommy stuffed his hands in his pockets before nodding toward the door. "Can we speak outside for a moment?" he asked her. Kimberly nodded slowly, taking Annie's hand and leading her out the door. "Come on, baby. We're heading to the car. Mommy's friend Tommy and I need to talk for a second, okay? So just wait in the car, all right?" She instructed as the little girl nodded happily and skipped over to Kimberly's tiny black sedan.

As the couple strolled along the long driveway, Kimberly sighed heavily, ill prepared for the conversation she thought she was about to have.

"So what did Jason tell you?" she asked him again, staring ahead at she spoke. Tommy grabbed her hands and turned her to face him.

"He told me you weren't married, when I asked where Annie's dad was. He told me you were _never_ married. I understand why you didn't tell me, Kim. I understand you must have been embarrassed to have had the child out of wedlock, with some guy none of us knew . . . and I think I speak for all of us when I say that we forgive you. But Annie's a great kid, total sweetheart. I'm sorry that things didn't work out with Annie's dad and I know that you and I have lost touch, but I just want you to know that I'll always be here for you Kim, if you ever need anything," Tommy concluded, pulling Kimberly toward him.

The petite brunette shoved his arms away violently as she stood before him, fuming. Of all the self righteous things to say! She didn't know whether to be relieved or furious that Tommy was so oblivious. "It's a little more complicated than that, but _thanks . . . I guess_," she said tightly. Tommy gave her a confused look before attempting to reach out to her once more. She held her hand out in protest.

"No, no, no, no, no. Stop right there! I really don't want to have this conversation in front of my car, and certainly not today. However, since you seem to be a little lost, why don't I help you out. First of all, not everyone inside that house tonight was as clueless about Anneliese as you were. Secondly, if I wanted your help, Tommy . . . I would have asked for it. _A long time ago,_" she snapped back, emphasizing the last few words, hoping to knock some sense into that Swiss cheese memory of his.

"Kim, please don't be upset with me! I'm sorry we never spoke, I guess I just thought you didn't want to, you know? After the letter," he started to say before Kimberly cut him off.

"I definitely don't want to talk about_ that_ tonight, for sure!" she said pointedly. Tommy nodded fervently, trying to make Kim understand.

"Kim, I'm not angry about the letter anymore. It's over, and it's done. But I am concerned that you still have a lot of issues about what happened to you," he explained. Kimberly's jaw dropped at the audacity of Tommy's words.

"Excuse me? Issues? I have issues? Ha! Tommy Oliver, if you only knew . . . " she mocked him, shaking her head in disgust.

"Look at me Kim, please? I realize that breaking up with me for someone else was out of my control. But all I'm saying is that I don't blame you for not wanting to tell me about Annie!" He stated, raising his voice more than he intended.

Kimberly shook her head in disbelief and laughed maniacally. "You're fucking unbelievable! You think you have this all figured out, don'tcha? Okay, tell me this . . . why do you suppose I wouldn't want to tell_ you?_ Hmm, Tommy? Why would I tell someone like _Rocky_, and not you?" she fired back, her lips pursed in a tight pout.

Tommy gave her a sympathetic smile and rubbed her shoulders, ignoring her protests. "Because you had a child with this guy that you left me for, and it didn't work out! Kim, I understand if you felt ashamed," he told her soothingly.

Kimberly shook his hands off her shoulders before marching toward her car. She stopped in front of the driver's side door before glancing back at Tommy.

"When you stop being a self righteous asshole, you'll understand how stupid you sound. Give it some thought, Tommy. You'll figure it out. Don't strain yourself though, I would like to have a _real_ conversation about this _someday_," she said coldly. And with that, Kimberly slid into her car and backed out of the drive, driving away from the house.

Tommy shook his head in confusion, not understanding how his intentions had been so misinterpreted. He shrugged it off for the time being and headed back toward the house.

Inside the house, Trini's parents had since retired to bed, allowing the gang to stay after as long as they wanted. Uncle Howard remained, as the group piled into the living room. Those not privy to Kimberly's situation now begging with those who knew, to divulge.

"Well we've got to tell him!" Tanya said, astonished to hear the truth of the matter. "I can't believe its Tommy's," Adam said, shaking his head.

"I can believe its Tommy's . I just can't believe Kimberly didn't tell him!" Katherine added.

"What was she supposed to do? Tommy was so busy with the . . . " Zack started to say, realizing they were still amongst Trini's Uncle. Jason gave Zack a nod, assuring him he was clear to finish his thought. "Uncle Howard knows, Zack," Jason explained, looking across the room at the older man.

Save for Aisha and Billy, the rest of the gang glanced accusingly at Howard, not understanding how so much new information could be revealed in one evening.

"You know . . . about the Rangers?" Rocky blurted out. Aisha smacked him playfully across the head. "No, dummy. The _other secret_ we all share! Yes, of course about the Rangers!" she huffed, receiving a pout from Rocky as he rubbed his head. Uncle Howard chuckled as he eased the group's mind.

"I received a phone call from Billy about five years ago, explaining that a friend of his was in trouble," Howard explained, indicating Jason as the friend in need. "When I asked Billy why he needed my help, of all people, he explained to me that his friend was suffering from an unusual chemical reaction, and needed my assistance," the older man continued.

"The gold Ranger powers!" Adam and Rocky said in unison, receiving a positive nod from Howard.

"Yes! Of course, at the time, I didn't know what all of that meant, but now I do! Jason's body had experienced something I had never seen before, I knew there was something I wasn't being told," Uncle Howard said as Billy took over.

"Jason and I were left with no choice but to tell him the truth. Jason's life was at stake, having been contaminated by powers that didn't want him to possess them, and I had exhausted all my other possibilities. I even went to Zordon and Alpha, but even they didn't know what to do," Billy explained bashfully.

"So how did you finally figure out how to help him?" Adam asked in his gentle voice. "He concocted a chemical elixir to obviate the active, extra terrestrial ions that had bonded with Jason's," Billy said casually, receiving horribly confused looks from the group.

Howard and Jason laughed as the former red Ranger attempted to translate. "I think I can help, guys. Howard basically made an antidote to reverse the effects of the gold Ranger powers," Jason said slowly. A few mumbled recognitions were made and head nods were traded as the gang finally understood.

Zack gave Jason a suspicious look and poked his side. "What the _hell _was that, bro? You never used to know what Billy man was sayin'!" Zack said playfully. Jason laughed as he rubbed his chin. "Trini must have rubbed off on me," he said quietly as the group's energy lowered for a moment, remembering why they were all together in the first place.

"Well, I better be heading off to bed myself, I have to fly back to Miami tomorrow," Uncle Howard said, rising from his chair. The younger adults all stood, embracing the old man as they each said their goodbyes. Uncle Howard gave them a polite wave before ascending the stairs to the guest room.

Once the gang was settled back in their seats, Katherine initiated the prior conversation once again. "Guys, we need to finish talking about this Tommy and Kim thing," she said softly, concern washing over her face once more.

"Look, like I was sayin' before, Kim felt like she couldn't tell Tommy. I don't blame her," Zack said, completing his earlier thought.

Tanya shook her head. "Yeah, that was when he was a Ranger, she couldn't tell him. Now he's just a guy. A guy who happens to be the father of her child. I don't know Kim that well, but I do know Tommy, and I really don't think what she did was fair," Tanya said tightly.

"No, Tanya. You don't know Kim, and you barely know Tommy! I don't think you're really in any position to be talking right now!" Zack snapped back, lurching forward in his seat. Aisha and Jason pulled him back, before Tanya crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, shooting Zack a dirty look.

"Look, guys . . . I know we're all emotional tonight as it is, but let's not argue about this, okay? I'm just as upset as anyone. But I'm more hurt than anything. I can't believe Kimberly didn't tell the rest of us," Katherine said.

Aisha reached over the arm of the couch and grabbed Kat's hand. "Kimberly wanted to. She wanted to tell everyone. But she didn't want to risk the chance of Tommy finding out before she could tell him herself," Aisha explained.

"I'd like to think they're talking about it right now," Jason chimed in. "But I doubt it," he added, shaking his head.

"Please promise me that you guys won't say anything? Kimberly really needs to be the one to tell Tommy," Aisha said.

"Kimberly really needs to be the one to tell me what?" he asked as the group averted his suspicious gaze.

Tommy chuckled and shook his head. As he walked into the kitchen, the rest of the gang glanced around nervously, wondering how much of their conversation Tommy had heard.

_**AN: So, Tommy was a bit misinformed, wasn't he? Well, not to worry. Things start to make a little more sense when he gets a visit from a certain someone. Find out next chapter as we leap into the actual present time and see what has changed since Trini's funeral. Until next time! Please Read and Review!**_


	8. A Brief History of Time

_**AN: Sorry for the absence. I hope you haven't abandoned me! So what happens next? Six years have passed since Trini's funeral, and the anniversary is approaching. Annie Hart is now 12 years old. What has happened since Tommy and Kimberly's last encounter? Find out next! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Pulse **_

_**Chapter 8  
A Brief History of Time**_

_September 3rd, 2007  
Tommy Oliver's House  
Reefside, California_

It was a Friday, and Tommy couldn't have been more thankful. He had just completed the first week of a new school year and was glad to have a few days of peace and quiet.

Yes, Tommy Oliver had become a teacher. Or rather, a doctor. He was now lovingly referred to as Tommy Oliver, PhD. He laughed at the thought. If his friends could see him now, they'd never believe it.

Tommy parked his car as he pulled into his driveway and lowered his head. _His friends,_ he reminded himself.

"More like_ friend_," he said aloud. Since the funeral of the first yellow ranger, Tommy hadn't kept in touch with his old teammates, except for Jason.

He ran into Adam and Tanya a few years back, when he'd gone home to visit his parents in Angel Grove. Adam and Tanya were dating then, with talk about marriage sometime soon. He hasn't spoken to them since. If they had already gotten married, he certainly hadn't been invited. "Maybe they eloped," he told himself hopefully.

Aisha and Zack practically fell off the face of the Earth, presumably no longer living in Angel Grove, where he knew them to have rented an apartment with Kimberly.

_And Kimberly_. He hadn't spoken or seen her since Trini's funeral. He wondered how she was doing, how her daughter was, if she had gotten back together with Annie's father . . .

Tommy thought back to that night, wishing he had let Kimberly talk more. He ran his mouth off so capriciously, what with the emotional events surrounding their conversation, not to mention his anxiety about speaking to her again.

He shook his sentimental thoughts and unlocked the front door to his new home, in Reefside California. When Tommy had completed school, he initially had hoped for a job outside of California, but when the position opened up at Reefside High, he figured it was best to stay put. After all, his parents still lived in Angel Grove, which was close by, and Jason had moved his business from Los Angeles to Reefside as well, hoping to convince Tommy to teach some weekend Karate classes.

"Jason Lee Scott, you son of a bitch!" Tommy said to himself, looking around his living room. Jason had told Tommy to expect him sometime in the coming days, so Tommy left a key under the welcome mat. As Tommy stared in amazement at all the boxes and junk, piled high amidst his house, he silently cursed himself for agreeing to let Jason live with him.

As he cautiously made his way through the living room, Tommy spotted a small, opened planner resting atop one of the boxes. Tommy approached the book and noticed frenzied memos and scratches of writing on the exposed pages.

As he laughed to himself at his friend's apparently frantic schedule, he noticed a small note scribbled in today's entry.

_3pm Annie_

"Annie?" Tommy said to himself. He skimmed the remaining entries, hoping to find more information. Evidently, Jason was completing some sort of project, unrelated to his Martial Arts school. He had appointment times written down in various boxes, with words like "finalize" and "deliver". Tommy hadn't a clue what his best friend was up to, but resolved to ask him about it later.

He shut the planner and started to make his way up the stairs toward his bedroom when the phone rang. Tommy sighed and made his way back through the labyrinth of boxes to the most accessible phone, in the kitchen.

"Hello?" he answered. A soft gasp was heard, but no words. "Hello?" he asked again. Nothing. _Click._

"Okay," Tommy snickered as he hung up the phone. He shook his head in amusement and headed back toward his bedroom.

_September 4th, 2007  
Tommy Oliver's House  
Reefside California  
4:30am_

"Thank you so much, Jase," the young girl whispered as Jason led her to a small bedroom.

"We'll talk in the morning. You can sleep in here for now," Jason told the girl quietly. She nodded and carefully made her way into the room and set her sleeping bag on the floor as Jason shut the door behind him.

He sighed heavily before creeping back down the stairs and made his way to the living room couch.

_10:30am_

Tommy wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel as he climbed the jagged rock stairs up to his home. He had just finished his morning workout, and was ready to take a shower and finally spend some time with Jason. Tommy had noticed Jason's car outside when he began his jog around the property, but had failed to notice his best friend, still passed out on his couch.

As Tommy entered the side door, leading into the kitchen, he stopped by the sink and filled a cup with water. After chugging the contents, he set the cup back in the sink and padded into the living room. He gave a bemused laugh as he saw Jason's oversized body attempting to fit onto the tiny love seat.

"Good morning sunshine," Tommy said cheekily, flicking Jason's earlobe. The groggy former Ranger absently brushed the sensation away before blinking a few times and realizing the source. He gave Tommy a goofy half smile as he slowly sat up and stretched.

"What's up, bro?" Jason yawned. Tommy chuckled and patted Jason's shoulder. "Just about to take a shower. What time did you get in?" he asked, crossing toward the stairs.

"Early. Like, four this morning," Jason told him sleepily. Tommy nodded. "I moved most of your stuff into the downstairs bedroom. There's still a few boxes in the hallway," Tommy said, pointing toward the doorway.

Jason nodded and stood up. "Thanks, bro. Sorry I left all my shit lying around. I had to pick up . . . I had . . . something came up," Jason stammered. Tommy laughed, assuming his friend's incoherency was from just having woken up.

"Well, let me shower and then maybe we can grab some lunch. You can show me where your new office is?" Tommy offered, ascending the stairs as he spoke.

"Sounds like a plan. You got anything to drink?" Jason asked, making his way into the kitchen.

"Orange juice and beer in the fridge. Water from the sink," Tommy called out.

"Thanks!" Jason replied, pulling out the gallon of juice and searching the cabinets for a glass. Jason finished pouring the juice and set the jug on the table. As the rim of the glass touched his lips, screams were heard.

"HOLY SHIT!"

"OH MY GOD!"

"JASON!"

Jason's eyes widened in horror as his arm lunged forward, shooting the full glass out of his hand and onto the table, shattering into a million pieces. Drenched and sticky, Jason clumsily made his way from the kitchen and up the stairs, doing his best to avoid any shards of glass.

"Shit. Oh, boy. Here we go," he muttered to himself as he climbed the steps. As he approached the landing, he saw his young female companion's head, peeking out from behind the bedroom door. Tommy, on the other hand was standing in front of the bathroom, leaning face forward into the wall.

"Oh good, you've met," Jason said, laughing nervously. The young girl gave him a frightened look and opened the door slightly. Tommy remained in place as he attempted to center his breathing.

"Who is that?" he asked, motioning to the girl. Jason slowly approached the girl and pulled her from the doorway.

The young girl carefully walked behind Jason, clad in a pink nightgown and socks, gripping his hand for dear life as Jason led her closer to Tommy.

Jason cleared his throat and positioned the young girl beside him. "Tommy, you remember Annie. Annie Hart," he said quietly, awaiting his friend's response.

Tommy turned his head and stared at the pair. His eyes widened as he straightened himself up, moving away from the wall.

"Annie? As in, Kimberly's daughter?" he asked amazedly. Jason nodded. Annie gave Tommy a slight smile and bit her lip. Tommy shook his head in disbelief as he observed the young girl. "My god. You're all grown up," he told her, remembering the pudgy faced little girl he had met, six years ago.

The trio laughed awkwardly and exchanged humbled smiles as they remembered the occasion. Tommy's wistful exterior suddenly hardened as a thought struck him.

"Wait a minute. Why are you here?" he asked. Annie swallowed with difficulty, looking to Jason for help.

Jason looked from Annie to Tommy and lowered his head. "Tommy, there's something you should know," he started. Tommy narrowed his gaze at Jason, unsure if he wanted to hear his confession.

"Kimberly and Annie got into a fight," Jason continued, slowly lifting his head to face Tommy.

"So, you're just helping out?" Tommy asked, confused. Jason rubbed his chin in frustration. "Yes and no," he said.

"I told mom I wanted to live with my dad," Annie blurted out, receiving a sharp look from Jason, and a horrified one from Tommy.

Jason snapped his head back to Tommy, knowing his friend had just assumed the worst. "Tommy, I shouldn't be the one to tell you this," Jason began, holding his hands up in front of him.

Tommy shook his head. "I think I get it, Jase," he said, his heart tightening as he drew his own conclusions.

"No, Tommy, you don't. I know what you're thinking," Jason told him. Annie took a few steps back, watching nervously as the two men spoke.

"You slept with Kim, Jason. You're Annie's dad! I get it! This is a bit of a shock, not gonna lie . . . " Tommy snickered, although not angrily. Jason watched tensely as Tommy calmly stuffed his hands into his pant pockets and shrugged.

"Tommy, I know this is confusing," Jason started again, before Tommy interrupted him once more.

"Jason! It's in the past! What happened between you and Kim is not my business! I mean, I'm weirded out that you never said anything, and this is how I'm finding out . . . but you're my best friend, bro. It's done, ya know?" Tommy rationalized, offering a congenial hand to Jason.

Jason shook his head and glance over his shoulder. "Annie, go to your room," Jason told the girl. Annie gave him a hurt look and stomped her foot. "Why?" she whined.

"I want to speak to Tommy alone," he explained, his voice raising slightly. Tommy glanced between the pair.

"Listen to your dad, Annie. We've obviously got some catching up to do," Tommy reasoned with the girl.

"He's not my dad!" Annie snapped at Tommy, tears beginning to fill her eyes. Tommy shot Jason a confused look before looking back at Annie.

"Anneliese Hart, get in that room right now, or I swear to God, I will call your mom right now!" Jason barked at the girl.

"Jason, what's going on?" Tommy asked impatiently. Jason rubbed his temples, brimming with frustration.

"I want to be here when you tell him!" Annie shouted, pointing to Tommy. Tommy looked to his friend once more.

"Tell me what?" he asked.

"I shouldn't even be the one to tell him!" Jason yelled back.

"I deserve to be here!" Annie screamed.

"What the hell is going on? Tell me what?" Tommy joined the bickering pair. Annie zeroed in on Tommy and started crying.

"I hate my life," she mumbled through her sobs. Jason released a heavy sigh and approached the young girl, enveloping her in his arms.

Tommy scratched his head, bewildered. "What is going on?" he said to himself, watching Jason console the young girl.

Jason, still embracing Annie, looked up at his friend solemnly. "You're her dad, Tommy," Jason said.

_**AN: OH! I am evil! So Jason's just revealed the big secret, what happens now? How will Tommy react? Where's Kimberly in all of this? Find out next time! Please Read and Review!**_


	9. A Family Affair

_**AN: I'm sorry for the absence! I'm writing as fast as I can! I hope you're all still with me! Anyway, Tommy's just discovered that Annie is his daughter . . . what happens now? How will he react? Find out next! Please read and review! Enjoy!**_

_**Pulse  
**_

_**Chapter 9  
A Family Affair**_

_September 4th, 2007  
Tommy Oliver's House  
Reefside, California  
11:30 am_

Tommy's heart stopped. His eyes narrowed as he stared at Jason in horror. Then, his gaze made its way to the young girl. He studied the girl for a moment. Her hair, her skin, her eyes. Then the memory of their first encounter flashed in his mind. The way she had immediately taken to him, the brief and eery mirrored image reflected in her stare when he first saw the little girl.

Tommy's eyes were watering, unable to control nor understand the emotions he was presently experiencing.

"How . . . how old . . . " he stuttered, unable to finish his thought.

"Twelve," she answered timidly. "My . . . my birthday was yesterday," she added softly. Jason released the girl and lowered his head in shame as she spoke.

"I'm sorry Tommy," he said quietly. Tommy's surprised demeanor gave way to anger and hurt as Jason's voice reminded him of what all this meant.

"How long have you known?" Tommy asked slowly. Jason winced as he spoke.

"Kim and Trini told me right after Annie was born," he said cautiously, still not facing Tommy.

Tommy inhaled a sharp breath and paused. Annie and Jason both snuck a careful glance at him, waiting for him to respond. Suddenly, the silence was broke by a loud slam against the wall, as Tommy's fist collided with it.

Annie released a yelp as Jason flinched, instinctively shielding Annie. "Get out of my house," Tommy seethed.

"Come on Uncle Jase, let's go. I knew he wouldn't want to see me," Annie said hurriedly, dashing back into the bedroom to gather up her belongings.

"No! You stay! I want to talk to you," Tommy commanded the girl before pointing a finger in Jason's face. "You, get out of my house," he said coldly.

Jason returned Tommy's stare and stood in front of the door, blocking Tommy's path. "Tommy, I know you're upset," he started, before Tommy cut him off.

"Upset? No, Jason. I'm not upset. I'm disgusted! How could you keep something like this from me?" Tommy asked him, trying his best to control his rising temper.

"I couldn't tell you, Tommy. I know you hate me right now, but I can't leave Annie alone with you. I'm a legal guardian," Jason tried to explain.

Tommy backed up and shook his head, laughing maniacally. "Legal guardian? I'm her father!" he shouted, the foreign expression he now used as leverage, startled him.

"I know, Tommy. But it's not technically recognized yet and well . . . I don't want Kim–" Jason began nervously, as Tommy cut him off.

"Fine! I'll leave. I need to be alone right now," Tommy snapped, spinning around back to his bedroom and violently shoving the door open. Jason and Annie peered through the opening to watch Tommy aggressively throw on a t-shirt and shoes before reappearing in the hallway.

The frightened pair straightened back up and eyed Tommy cautiously as he returned their looks with an icy glare before bounding down the stairs and leaving the house with a sharp slam of the front door.

Annie began to cry louder as Jason buried her face in his chest. "It's okay, Annie . . . he just needs some time . . . " he softly assured her, although he doubted his own thoughts at the moment.

Jason knew he was running the risk of damaging his friendship with Tommy, revealing he had known about Annie since birth. But he also had an obligation to Kimberly, even though at present he was testing _those_ waters, having driven Annie to Reefside to meet Tommy after Kim and his "niece" had gotten into their fight.

"Does he hate me?" Annie asked timidly. Jason managed a small laugh at the girl's expense. "No, Annie . . . he doesn't hate you. He's hurt. Not by you, though. You had nothing to do with this," Jason consoled her once more.

"Maybe mom was right. Maybe this was a mistake, trying to find him," she said, pulling away from Jason's embrace and sliding down the length of the wall.

Jason crouched in front of her and rested a tender hand on her knee. "Annie, you needed to know about your dad sooner or later. I don't blame you for wanting to find him. I'm sorry you're in the middle of this. It's my fault for hiding this from Tommy," Jason offered.

"Well it's my mom's fault for not telling him about me!" Annie snapped. Jason winced slightly at the young girl's words. He had already over stepped his place by being the one to tell Tommy who Annie's dad was. A task that should have been saved solely for Kimberly. But Jason also knew he couldn't explain, nor shouldn't explain to Annie why he had sided with her mother all those years ago.

Kimberly had finally confessed her attempted abortion to Jason, after Annie's birth had been revealed. Trini had convinced Kim that Jason needed to understand all the implications. Jason remembered being mortified that Kimberly had almost gone through with it, threatening to never speak to her again. But he couldn't. His brotherly instinct kicked in and he silently admonished himself for contemplating such a threat. He loved Kimberly like a sister, and if keeping her secret meant hiding the truth from Tommy, so be it. But Jason had only agreed to withhold the information on one condition. That whenever Annie started asking about her father, Kimberly would set things right.

Of course, that didn't exactly happen. Annie hadn't really been too concerned about her father or his whereabouts or if she still even had one, until recently. Kimberly assumed Annie would start to wonder as soon as she could speak, but ironically enough, Annie was becoming much like her father. Not trying to fix something that wasn't broken.

But then, the fight occurred. Annie had come home from school and found her mother crying. It was supposed to be a joyous eve of Annie's 12th birthday. Sadly, it was also the anniversary of Trini's death, a coincidence that Jason couldn't ever shake. When Annie probed her mother for answers as to why she was crying, Kimberly lashed out at her daughter, telling her she wouldn't understand and to leave her alone. When Annie retaliated by asking the forbidden question, "Is this about my dad?", Kimberly lost it. Annie had somehow, known exactly what was bothering her mother. Between mourning Trini's death, and Annie's birthday, Kimberly had been reminded yet again, about her decision to exclude Tommy from their life. A fact that secretly tormented the petite woman, every time she looked at her daughter. Annie, still being a child, however insightful she was, misinterpreted her mother's reaction and called her bluff. Claiming that she hated how Kimberly was always acting like this, and how miserable she was living with her, and that she wanted to live with her father. Kimberly mocked Annie's threat, daring the child to try and find him. Which Annie did, with the help of her uncle Jason.

Which brought him back to the present, Jason was now an accessory. Annie had called him in the middle of the night and begged him to help her find her dad. All she knew about him, was that he lived in Reefside, and that he and her mother had not always been so estranged. Another reason why Annie could no longer understand his absence in her life.

"Sweetie, I know it seems like your mom is acting crazy, but she's just being protective, that's all," Jason offered, although not sure if _protective_ was the most appropriate word to use. He had been better at communicating with Annie when she was younger.

"Doesn't she want me to know him?" Annie asked weakly, tears reforming in her eyes. Jason sighed heavily and sat beside her against the wall.

"Of course she does, Ann. This whole mess is more of your parent's issue. I'm just sorry you have to witness it," Jason told her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

Just then, the front door reopened and shut once again. Annie gave Jason a nervous look before Jason hushed her with his finger and stood up, standing slightly in front of Annie as the pair peered down the stairs from the landing.

They listened carefully as footsteps made their way from the living room into the kitchen, opened the fridge and a few cabinets, turned the sink on and off, then made their way back into the living room and turned the television on.

"What should we do, Uncle Jay?" Annie whispered. Jason nodded and motioned for her to go back to her room for the moment.

"Let me talk to him, okay?" he suggested, receiving an obedient nod from Annie as she scurried back into the bedroom. Jason cleared his throat and started a deliberately slow walk down the stairs.

"Tommy?" he managed to squeak out. No response. Jason swallowed with difficulty and rounded the final stairs toward the living room.

As Jason appeared in the doorway, Tommy caught sight of him in his periphery. Jason rested up against the doorway as the two men silently acknowledged each other without speaking.

"Bro," Jason began softly. Tommy shook his head and reached for the remote, pressing the volume button until the sound from the t.v. was deafening.

Jason conceded and sighed, as Tommy continued to stare blankly at the unnecessarily loud screen. After a solid ten minutes, Jason hastily moved from the doorway to the television and aggressively shut the power off.

Tommy remained still, not blinking nor stirring from his seat, as Jason pace back and forth in front of him.

"Tommy, I don't know what to say! I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I didn't know how. I didn't know if I should, ya know? I mean, I made a promise to Kim and by doing that I betrayed your trust and I'm sorry, I can't change what's happened, I wish I could . . . " Jason finally exploded, furiously walking from one end of the room to the other as he spoke.

Finally Tommy cut in. "Jason! Stop!" he bellowed, receiving a surprised but relieved look from Jason. Tommy stood from his seat on the couch and lowered his head.

"I know why you did it, bro. I forgive you. But I've got a lot on my mind right now, and I can't promise that everything I say or do is going to be rational. I'm really hurt, and confused," Tommy explained calmly.

Jason nodded gratefully and jumped on his friend's brief moment of silence.

"I promise you, bro. I'll help you in whatever way I can. I'll call Kim for you if–" Jason began to say, only to be shut up by Tommy's sudden sharp tone.

"NO! Don't you dare! I may not be mad at you, Jason. But that doesn't mean I'm forgiving _her_," Tommy said seething.

"GOD DAMMIT! I can't even think about this without . . . I just can't believe . . . I mean, I know we broke up and that was . . . whatever . . . but she has my child and she doesn't even TELL ME?"

Jason raised his hands as if to calm Tommy down, but to no avail. Tommy had worked himself up again, and was now shouting at the ceiling, spewing colorful words to describe his emotions.

"I swear, if I ever see her again . . . I swear, Jason . . . she is going . . . does she have any idea what this has done to me? To my life? Did she ever stop to think what I would have wanted? I can't believe . . . " Tommy continued to ramble, tightening his grip on random objects as he wandered around the room. Jason following close behind, carefully replacing any items Tommy had carelessly tossed aside in his wake.

"She's going to come looking for Annie, ya know," Jason said quietly. Somehow, amidst his uncensored shouting, Tommy had heard his best friend's statement. He stopped suddenly and turned around to face Jason.

"What? Am I supposed to be concerned?" Tommy asked through clenched teeth. Jason just shrugged. "I'm just saying, Tommy. You and Kim are going to have to come face to face about this sooner or later,"

"Well it's not like it was my fault," Tommy said defensively. Jason nodded, approaching Tommy cautiously.

"I know bro, I know. Kim should have been the one to tell you all of this in the first place. I'm just saying, now that you do know, expect to have to deal with Kim," Jason explained further.

"I want to hear it from you. What do you know? Tell me everything she told you. I don't want to go into this anymore blindly than I already feel," Tommy demanded, although not angrily, merely forceful.

"I think I've already said too much, bro," Jason told him regretfully. Tommy shook his head and grabbed Jason by the shoulders.

"Just . . . tell me more about . . . Annie . . . my . . . daughter," Tommy said with a heavy sigh, still not believing those words applied to him.

"Do you want to talk to her yourself?" Jason asked. Tommy shook his head.

"Not yet. I think we both need some time to digest the idea of seeing each other. I'll let her sleep. You know, she's more than welcome to stay here as long as she wants," Tommy offered bashfully.

Jason nodded and wrapped his arms around his friend. "You're a better man than me, bro," Jason told him quietly.

"I'm sorry I lied to you."

"S'okay, Jase. I know why you did it. Just tell me more about my daughter. I don't want any more surprises," Tommy said lightly in spite of himself.

The two men parted from their embrace and made their way into the kitchen, where Tommy prepared two mugs of coffee for them while they spoke. Jason cleared his throat and laughed nervously, unsure where to begin.

He knew he wouldn't be able to tell Tommy everything, silently praying that _when and if _ Tommy and Kim ever did speak, she'd be the one to inform of the biggest secret she'd hidden.

"I had just started my first year at AGU, when I got a phone call from Trini . . . "

_**AN: Another cliffhanger, sort of! Sorry for all the gaps between updates! I am constantly trying to write and get these chapters out quickly. Hope you haven't abandoned me! Anyway, what happens next? Will Tommy be able to forgive Kimberly? Find out next time! Please Read and Review!**_


	10. Buzz Words

_**AN: Jason tells Tommy as much as he can about Annie, his daughter. What will happen when Tommy confronts Kimberly? Will Tommy take this opportunity to bond with Annie? Find out next! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 10  
Buzz Words**_

_September 4th, 2007  
Tommy's House  
Reefside, California_  
_1:30pm_

"I can't believe we were so careless. It didn't even occur to me that Kim might get pregnant," Tommy said finally.

He and Jason had just spent a little over an hour talking about Annie and Kim, and how Tommy's life had come to be what it is. Jason shook his head and shrugged. "Ironic, isn't it? All the shit we thought of when we needed to save the world . . . "Jason trailed off absently.

Tommy snickered, knowing full well what Jason meant. He and Kimberly had acted the most irresponsibly that night, than they ever had fighting alien creatures or piloting robotic dinosaurs. The lesson was almost despicable.

But Tommy's admittance that he and his ex-girlfriend had been foolish did not abdicate Tommy's anger toward Kimberly. Had he known, he would have done anything, and given up everything, to help her. Suddenly, a thought came to him. Something he hadn't thought to question before.

"What about the letter?" Tommy asked. Jason looked up from the kitchen table and gave his friend a confused look.

"What do you mean, bro? The, the . . . break up . . . letter?" Jason asked slowly. Tommy sighed and nodded. True, the letter had been a long time ago, and even at Trini's funeral he had forgiven Kimberly for it, assuming it was just one of those things that happened. But now, upon learning that she had given birth to their daughter, and never so much as spoke to her until six years had passed, Tommy now wondered if the letter was true.

"Was the letter real? Did she really meet someone else?" Tommy asked again, a slight hint of desperation coating his tone. Jason watched his friend's face carefully. Jason knew the letter to be false, another_ "solution"_ concocted by Trini and Kim to save Tommy more anguish by being kept out of the know.

The situation was already too complicated, and there had already been a multitude of things that Jason had disclosed, already breaking his promise to Kim. Jason silently cursed himself for ever getting this involved.

"I don't know, bro. Kimberly never really mentioned it to me. I only heard about the letter through you," Jason lied.

Tommy nodded his head in defeat. "So, Kim left the competition and stayed with Trini's uncle, and met this new guy?" Tommy asked, not understanding the sequence of events.

Jason shook his head. "There was a lot that I wasn't there for, man. I know that she moved back to Angel Grove right after Annie was born. Trini and I had already started college, and I think Kim was at the community college, I don't know if that guy came with her or what," Jason said, making up elements of his story as he went.

"But she wasn't with him for very long," Tommy said, still trying to piece everything together.

"I got the letter at the end of March, and you said that Kim came back to California in, what? September? And she wasn't with anyone at the funeral, and you said she had never been married . . . " Tommy continued, mapping out the dates in his head.

"Tommy, it's done. Whether or not the letter was true, it's done. What are you going to do now?" Jason said, attempting to get his friend off the subject of the letter before he incriminated himself any further.

Tommy looked up from his imaginary calculations and shook his head. "I don't know, Jase. What am I supposed to do? I have a job, I have my own life . . . I can't just give it all up! I don't how to even talk to Annie. What am I supposed to say? And I'm sure she's terrified of me, the way I acted earlier," Tommy said pathetically.

"I think you'd be surprised, bro," Jason said with a smirk, standing up from his seat to carry his coffee mug over to the sink. "Annie's a smart girl, good genes," he said, patting a supportive hand on Tommy's shoulder as he left the kitchen. Tommy gave a small laugh as he watched Jason cross into the living room.

"Why don't I go check on her and see if she wants to go to lunch? Maybe, give you guys a chance to hang out, talk, ya know?" Jason offered, folding up the random sheets and blankets that had been scattered on the couch.

"Yeah, that sounds good. Umm, I'm going to run out really quick. Make sure you and Annie are ready by 2:30, then we'll go. My treat," Tommy instructed, grabbing his keys and wallet as he placed his mug beside Jason's in the sink.

Jason nodded as he continued to straighten up the living room. "That gives you both about an hour, is that enough time?" Tommy asked as he approached the front door. Jason smiled. "Annie doesn't need much time to get ready, takes after her dad," he said with a grin.

Tommy gave a bittersweet smile and nodded as he shut the door behind him. Once Jason had finished cleaning the downstairs, he made his way up to the guest room where Annie was staying. He lightly tapped the door and heard a muffled_ "Come in"._

Jason opened the door and found Annie on the edge of the bed, fully dressed, and crying. He ran over to the girl and sat beside her.

"Annie, what's wrong?" Jason asked, wrapping an arm around her. Annie wiped her face with the back of hand and looked up at her uncle.

"Mom wrote Tommy a letter? She broke up with him? Why?" Annie asked. Jason sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"How long were you listening?" Jason asked her softly. Annie gave him a guilty look and smiled through her tears.

"I heard the whole thing," she said regretfully. Jason nodded carefully and embraced her tighter.

"I hate mom," Annie said as she leaned into Jason's shoulder. Jason laughed slightly, knowing the young girl was merely frustrated and denied a lot of information, not seriously condemning her mother.

"Mom's got a lot of explaining to do, huh?" Jason asked, rubbing Annie's back as he spoke. Annie nodded against his chest and pulled away, staring at him thoughtfully.

"Are we really going to lunch with Tommy?" Annie asked hopefully. Jason nodded and wiped a tear from her face.

"I'd really like that," she added.

"Well, wash your face princess, and I'm going to get changed, okay?" Jason instructed. Annie smiled and hopped off the bed, bounding toward the bathroom.

As Annie shut the bathroom door, Jason descended the stairs once again and made his way to the downstairs bedroom, beginning his search for the box that contained the rest of his wardrobe.

As he was struggling to flatten out a pair of pants that had been carelessly crumpled in their container, his cell phone went off. Jason caught the lump in his throat upon seeing the caller ID.

_"Do I answer it?"_ he asked himself. _"Shit."_

He tossed the cell phone back onto the bare mattress and finished putting on his clothes. The phone buzzed again, and again.

Jason huffed and glanced over his shoulder, ensuring Annie wouldn't overhear this conversation, and shut the door behind him.

"Hello?" he said innocently, cringing at the sound he was anticipating.

"WHERE THE HELL IS ANNIE?" Kimberly's frantic voice screeched over the receiver. Jason pulled the phone away as Kimberly continued to shout. After a minute of frenzied cries, Jason returned the phone to his ear.

"I miss you too, Lil sis," Jason said sarcastically.

"Cut the bullshit, Jase. Where is Annie? I woke up this morning and she was gone. I called everyone I could think of. I even asked Aisha and Zack to keep an eye out for her in Los Angeles. _I should have known_," Kimberly said in a low, thick tone.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jason said cooly. "I KNEW IT!" Kimberly shouted.

"What do you know?" Jason asked over her yelling.

"If you didn't have Annie, you would have asked me where she was! I knew it! Bring my daughter back to me right now! I could have you arrested for kidnaping!" Kimberly threatened.

"Kim, I think Annie needs some time away from you right now. She's really confused and upset. You owe her a lot of explanations," Jason reminded her. Suddenly Kim's aggressive stance softened, realizing what Jason was implying.

"Oh my god, you're there aren't you? You're with him, aren't you?" Kim asked softly. Jason didn't need to affirm Kim's question. His silence was enough.

"Does...does he know? What happened? Has he met Annie?" Kim asked again, her voice cracking as she began to sob quietly.

"Yes, they met. And . . . I told him, Kim. He knows Annie's his daughter," Jason said solemnly.

Jason hung his head as he heard Kimberly cry into the phone. He was utterly torn. He had always been on Kimberly's side, understanding why she had done the things she'd done, even seeing Annie and Tommy both completely turned inside out by those actions. Now was no exception, he still felt compassion for Kimberly, knowing in his heart, she wanted to make everything right.

"What did he say?" Kimberly asked after a moment of silence.

"He's mad, Kim. He's mad and he's hurt," Jason explained.

"Well, did you explain everything to him?" Kimberly begged.

"No! I was hoping you'd do that," he told her.

"Well, if he's mad at me, he's not going to wantto _see me_, let alone_ talk_ to me!" Kimberly cried.

"What did you expect Kim?"

"I don't know what to say to him Jason!"

"Well, figure it out, Kim. I'm done playing messenger. I've already spent enough time lying to him for you!" Jason barked, knowing he was treading on shaky ground.

"Don't you dare reprimand me, Jason! You're already involved! I'm sorry that you were the one who told him, it was my burden and I know that. But nobody made you do it! You chose to tell him!" Kimberly shouted back.

"Kim, he thought I was Annie's dad! You should have seen his face! He looked like he was about to punch me!" Jason insisted.

Kimberly snickered. "I don't know how to make this right," she said, lowering her voice.

"He wants to talk to you Kim," Jason told her.

"Did he say that?" Kimberly asked, knowing full well that if Tommy was as mad as Jason claimed, there'd be no amount of talking that could assuage him.

"Well, no . . . not exactly. But he needs to, and so do you. I promised you that I would help you with Annie, if you promised to set things straight," Jason said.

"I know. I want to make things right, I really do. I just don't even know where to begin, Jase. I've messed up. I really, messed up . . . " Kimberly said, her sobs beginning again.

The front door slammed shut, signifying Tommy's return. Jason pulled his ear away from his phone to hear Tommy's distant voice, calling his name.

"Kim, I hate to do this, but I gotta go," he said in a rush. Kimberly sniffled and answered his request.

"What about Annie? Is she all right? Does she hate me?" Kimberly asked quickly.

"No, Kim. Annie doesn't hate you," he said, snickering at the earlier comment Annie had made about her mother.

"She's freaked out, and confused. _There's a lot of that going around_. Listen, let me talk to Tommy and I'll get back to you, okay?" Jason asked, panicking as Tommy's voice drew closer and closer to the bedroom door.

"Okay. Please tell Annie that I love her and I'm sorry. I'm going to fix everything, I promise.Tell Tommy . . . well, anyway, I'll let you go. Bye," she said.

And before he was able to return a good bye, Kimberly hung up, just as Tommy knocked on the door.

"Bro, you in there?" Tommy's voice called from the other side. Jason reached for the knob and turned, pushing the door open with his free hand.

"Hey, Annie still in her room?" Tommy asked, standing in the doorway to a slightly flustered Jason.

"You okay?" Tommy asked. Jason gave him a guilty smile and shrugged.

"Yeah, I'm just . . . mad that I can't find any clothes that aren't wrinkled," Jason covered quickly, receiving a knowing laugh from Tommy.

"Eh, you learn to deal with it," Tommy said casually, unaware of his friend's anxious energy.

"Umm, I have a surprise for Annie. Do you think she'll mind?" Tommy asked as Jason led them out of the room and into the hall.

"You didn't have to do that, bro," Jason told him, placing a tender hand on his shoulder.

"I wanted to. She mentioned her birthday was yesterday, and you said that she didn't really get the chance to celebrate, so I thought I'd . . . make up for lost time," Tommy said sheepishly.

Jason gave Tommy a sympathetic smile and patted his shoulder before calling up for Annie. After a moment, the young girl emerged from the bedroom and onto the landing. Tommy felt a pang in his heart as she descended the stairs.

The young girl, recently turned twelve years old, was a perfect split of both her parents. Her long, thick chocolate hair, her matching eyes, and golden skin . . . there was no mistaking whom this child belonged to. And if her looks weren't enough, it seemed that the predisposed predilection for wearing certain colors, also ran in the family. Annie caught her father's apprehensive gaze and returned it with a nervous smile of her own. He followed her movement as she landed in front of him, taking note of the outfit the girl had chosen to wear.

_Where had he seen that before? _A vest and matching skirt, of pink and white plaid. He lowered his head and noticed a pair of ratty, green converse. Tommy smiled and lifted his head to face the girl once again.

"You look very nice," he told her shyly. Annie blushed and gave him a sad smile.

"Thanks, Tommy. You do too," she returned. Jason gave a small chuckle as he watched the awkward but endearing exchange of a father and daughter who hadn't the slightest idea of how to interact. His heart went out to both of them. Especially Tommy's. The conflicting emotions that Annie drew up, and the painful reminder of twelve years lost, were not unnoticed by Jason. He silently promised himself, right at that moment, he would help reunite this family, as best as he knew how.

"Come on folks, let's eat," Jason said suddenly, breaking the silence.

Tommy motioned for Annie to lead the way out the door. As Tommy watched Jason playfully tickle the young girl, in an effort to race her to the car, he sighed heavily. And he was sure he felt the place in his heart, which he had spent many years mending after Kimberly broke up with him, rip once again.

_**AN: So, we hear a bit from Kimberly. What will happen next? How and when will Kimberly and Tommy talk? Tommy and Annie are attempting to bond, over bizarre circumstances. How will Jason be able to help them? Find out next time! Please Read and Review! **_


	11. These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

_**AN: Jason attempts to aide Tommy and Annie's bonding. Tommy has a surprise for them. What will happen? How will Annie and Tommy take to one another? And what about Kimberly? Find out next! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**AN 2: It was brought to my attention that I've been forgetting my disclaimer. So, here it is: I don't own anything! Sorry for the error.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 11  
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things**_

_September 4th, 2007  
Reefside, California  
2:50pm_

The car ride was awkward at best. At the behest of Jason, Annie sat shotgun while Tommy drove, leaving Jason in the back to make faces as Tommy tried to relate to the young girl.

"So, where are we going, bro?" Jason chimed in after another long pause. Tommy looked in his rearview mirror and answered him.

"I don't think you've been there," Tommy replied cryptically. Jason shrugged and leaned back into the seat, gazing out the window.

Tommy glanced quickly at Annie, who was sitting rigidly in the front seat, hands obediently in her lap, staring straight ahead. She felt Tommy's stare and managed a small head turn and locked eyes with the older man.

They both blushed and turned away quickly. Jason noticed the brief moment and rolled his eyes, knowing it would be up to him to initiate conversation, at least for a while.

"So Annie, how's school going?" Jason asked suddenly, lurching forward to wrap his hands around the back of Annie's seat. Annie tucked one leg under her and turned in, facing the two men better. Tommy squirmed in his seat, ready to engage in more information about the girl.

"It's okay," she answered politely. Jason lightly slapped Tommy's arm. "Annie just started junior high," he explained. To this Tommy nodded in acknowledgment, keeping his eye's on the road.

"I didn't really like junior high," Tommy said earnestly. Annie's eyes widened, thankful to hear Tommy speak.

"Really? Why not?" she asked. Tommy shrugged. "I don't know, just wasn't fun for me, I guess. My parents moved around a lot, so I never really had the chance to make any real friends, ya know?" Tommy offered.

Annie nodded in understanding. "I've moved around a lot too," Annie confessed. Jason gave her a sympathetic look that immediately turned to concern as he watched Tommy's reaction. Thankfully, Tommy just nodded and gave the girl a smile.

"High school was better for me. My parents finally settled in Angel Grove. At first, I was mad that we had to move again, but I got used to it. And after all, if we hadn't moved, I never would have met your uncle Jason," Tommy told her, warming up slowly.

"Or my mom, right?" Annie asked suddenly. Jason shoved his fist into his mouth and sat back in his seat, stifling the eye roll and snicker he almost released.

Tommy glared at Jason through the mirror and cleared his throat. "Right," Tommy said pointedly. "Or your mom," he finished, continuing to shift his gaze between the road and Jason.

After a few minutes of reborn tension, Tommy braved a new attempt. "So, Annie . . . tell me more about yourself," he started ungracefully.

Annie tucked her hair behind her ear and tilted her head in thought. Jason sat up and leaned in. "We could play a game! For every detail you tell, we have to tell you something too!" he suggested. Tommy rolled his eyes while Annie laughed.

"I'm a little old for that, Uncle Jay," Annie told him sweetly. Jason shrugged. "But I guess it could be fun," she added. Jason rubbed his hands together and prepared his first question.

"Okay, I'll start. Favorite color," Jason said, looking to Annie. Annie bit her lip and smiled. "Ooh! I don't know! I have a lot. Mom gave me a lot of her old clothes, and they're all pink, so I've gotten kind of used to that . . . but she also has this old, flannel sweatshirt that's white and green, I really like that. She won't let me have it, but this one time, I was cold and so she let me wear it. I guess I'd say, green! Or white . . . maybe pink! No . . . green!" Annie finally said, giggling at herself.

Jason gave Tommy a wry smile at Annie's answer. Tommy laughed too, in spite of himself, remembering the day he gave Kimberly that sweatshirt. He knew without all the information out in the open, Annie would have no idea how her answers were affecting him. But he decided to let it pass for now. Jason cleared his throat, breaking Tommy of his thoughts.

"Bro? What's your favorite color?" Jason said to Tommy. "Your dad has a hard time choosing a favorite color, too," Jason informed Annie, smiling cheekily at Tommy.

Tommy snickered and gave Annie a sheepish smile, sneaking in a death glare at Jason through the mirror once again. Not only was it surreal to hear himself referred to as "dad," but it was also always conspicuous to make Ranger jokes, especially to those not involved. But for better or for worse, Tommy decided to play along.

"Yeah . . . it used to be green, then white . . . then I got into this brief red phase for a while_ . . . never really cared for that color_," Tommy began, giving Jason an innocent smile.

"Now that I'm older, black seems to settle best with me. It's simple. But I guess I'll always have a soft spot for green too," Tommy concluded, giving Annie an encouraging smile.

Jason scoffed as Tommy rattled off his Ranger history under the guise of the innocent question. Laughing at the playful jab his friend made at his own signature color. Annie smiled and joined in the laughter, looking to Jason to finally answer.

"What about you Uncle Jay?" the girl chirped.

"I've always liked red, personally. Makes me look tough," Jason joked. Tommy laughed. "Yeah, you looked really tough in gold too, though," Tommy said mockingly.

Annie wrinkled her nose as she giggled. "Gold? Eww!" She said, playfully slapping Jason's arm as he blushed.

"I plead the fifth on that one! It was a moment in time, that's all I'll say!" Jason poked fun at himself. The trio continued their laughter at Jason's expense, all silently grateful that the tension was now subsiding.

"Next question!" Tommy commanded playfully. Annie raised her hand out of habit, then blushed at her formality before curling up into her seat. "I've got one!" she said, receiving the go ahead from Tommy.

"What's your favorite . . . musician or band!" Annie squealed in delight. Jason shook his head and groaned.

"Oh no! I'm not falling for this again!" he said jokingly. Tommy gave the pair a puzzled look.

"Annie's just discovered all of Kim's old cd's. It's all she ever listens to now!" Jason said in mock resignation. Tommy just laughed.

"Oh come on, Jase. Some of her music wasn't bad," Tommy admitted.

"My favorite is Ani Difranco, cause she's short and spunky, like me!" Annie said, clearly quoting someone else.

"Reminds you of someone, no?" Jason quipped. Tommy shook his head and found himself rolling his eyes once again.

"Who's Ani Difranco?" Jason asked. Annie's eye widened in disbelief. "You don't know who Ani Difranco is?" she asked in serious concern.

"Wow, Jase. Even I know who she is," Tommy said in a mock reprimand. Jason threw his hands up in defeat.

"So sorry Mister, I'll-I-ever-listen-to-in-high-school-was-Korn-and-Tupac," Jason jibed, causing Tommy to blush and Annie to grimace.

"She's awesome, Uncle Jay. She's this like, folky punk singer and she plays an acoustic guitar like mom used to," Annie explained.

Jason nodded his head, recalling the name to himself. "_Ani Difranco_ . . . is she the one that has all those aggressive 'I hate men' songs?" Jason asked.

Annie looked at her uncle with contempt. "Not all of her songs are about that. She's also very political and romantic. At least, that's how Mom describes her. Mom used to listen to her a lot when we lived in Florida," she told him.

Tommy snickered quietly to himself as he listened intently to his passenger's conversation. Amazed and curious at the information Annie was revealing.

"I think I remember Kim playing a couple of her songs for me on the guitar. I couldn't tell you what they were now, though," Jason said bashfully.

"Who's your favorite, Tommy?" Annie asked, humming a song as she bounced in her seat.

"I've never been good at remembering band names," Tommy said, trying to recall names other than Korn and Tupac, seeing as Jason would most likely razz him for still listening to the same music he did in high school.

"You've never been good at remembering a lot of things, bro," Jason pointed out. Annie gave Tommy a thoughtful look, receiving a guilty smile from him.

"Good point, Jase," Tommy conceded. "Give me a second to think on it. Jason you go first," Tommy instructed.

Jason rubbed his chin and shrugged. "I like a lot of hip hop. I have Zack to thank for that," Jason said, receiving an incredulous look from Tommy and a giggle from Annie.

"Oh! You can like hip hop, but I can't like Tupac?" Tommy asked. Jason laughed as he teasingly hit the back of Tommy's chair.

"Annie, you still learning the guitar?" Jason asked as Tommy continued to think of his favorite band. Annie nodded dutifully.

"Yep! Mom's been letting me practice on her old one. It's still in pretty good shape, though she doesn't use it as much as she used to. So she says," Annie remarked.

'I got it!" Tommy said suddenly, taking Annie and Jason by surprise. "Prince," Tommy said triumphantly.

There was a moment of silence before Jason busted out laughing and Annie gave him a quizzical look. Tommy rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time at his best friend's jeering and reached around his seat to smack him in the leg.

"Why is that funny, bro?" Tommy asked Jason seriously, returning his hand to the steering wheel. Annie remained pensive, as if trying to recall something about the artist Tommy had mentioned.

"You got to be kidding me? Prince? From the Korn and Tupac guy? Come on, bro! Prince? Really?" Jason howled, holding his side as he fell over in his seat.

"I think Ani covered a Prince song," Annie told him cheerfully. Tommy gave Jason a validated glare from the mirror and smiled at the girl.

"Well, I'd love to hear it sometime," Tommy told the girl. Annie nodded and turned to Jason, sticking a gratified tongue in his face. Jason returned it with his own and tweaked Annie's nose. Annie and Jason laughed at their childish banter before Tommy stopped the car.

"Here we are!" Tommy said, pulling into a parking spot. As the laughter subsided, Jason narrowed his gaze as Annie's eyes lit up. About a mile ahead of them, stood the grounds of a modest but bustling county fair.

"Bro, what the hell is this?" Jason said dumbfoundedly, climbing out of the Jeep. Annie jumped out of the car and ran a few feet ahead of them.

Tommy just smiled as Annie and Jason stared in amazement. "Pretty cool, huh? I drove past here earlier to see if it was still running. We're in luck, they have one more week before they shut down," Tommy explained.

Jason shook his head and placed an impressed hand on Tommy's shoulder. "This is pretty awesome, bro," Jason told him quietly. "Do you think she likes it?" Tommy whispered.

Jason laughed. "You tell me," he said as the two men watched the young girl race toward them, eyes ablaze.

"They have a Ferris wheel at the other end! And there's bumper cars and games and even a mini roller coaster!" She squealed in delight.

Tommy and Jason laughed at the girl's enthusiasm. "Come on Uncle Jay! Come on Tommy!" she whined playfully.

"What do you want to do first?" Jason asked her. Annie bit her lip and twirled around, deciding. "Umm . . . I want to . . . bumper cars, for sure!" she beamed proudly.

"Why don't you go on ahead of us? We'll be right behind you," Tommy instructed, pulling out his wallet. "Take this, go ahead and buy as many tickets as you want," he added, handing the girl a few bills.

Annie hesitated for a moment before looking to Jason, who merely shrugged and motioned to Tommy. "Don't look at me, he's your father," Jason muttered instinctively before realizing the gravity of what he'd said.

Annie and Tommy stared at one another for a moment, before Annie made the sudden move to pull Tommy down into a tight hug.

Tommy, caught off guard, felt his eyes stinging with the formation of tears. He held onto the girl for as long as she did. "Happy birthday, Annie," he whispered, sniffling as he fought to keep his tears at bay.

"Thanks...dad," she returned in a whisper of her own. The pair parted, giving one another knowing smiles before Annie dashed away, skipping happily toward the carnival.

"You okay?" Jason asked him after a moment. Tommy absently nodded as he watched Annie. "You did good, bro," Jason assured him, wrapping a tender arm around his shoulder.

Tommy laughed through his muffled sobs. "I don't know how I'm going to get used to this," he confessed, laughing as he struggled to regain his composure.

The two men laughed knowingly as they made their way toward the carnival, Tommy keeping his eye on Annie as they slowly approached the horizon of flashing lights and sounds.

_**AN: Tommy and Annie are getting to know one another, slowly. And not everyone knows everything yet, so it will take some time. Coming up, the confrontation. Find out what happens next time! Please Read and Review!**_


	12. Give and Take

_**AN: So the awkward but endearing scene continues as Jason and Tommy relive their past through humor, while Annie and Tommy continue to learn about one another. What happens now? And what about Kimberly? Find out next! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse  
Chapter 12  
Give and Take**_

_September 4th, 2007  
County Fair Grounds  
Reefside, California  
4:30pm_

After three rounds of bumper cars, a pride shattering ride on the mini roller coaster, which turned out to be a kiddy ride, and a relaxing spin on the Ferris wheel, Annie had now agreed to sit still for awhile and enjoy the greasy food the fair had to offer.

"Elephant ears! Best in the state!" Tommy groaned as he squirmed in his seat, handing off the warm plates of dough to Jason and Annie.

"I still can't believe that guy let you ride that roller coaster, bro," Jason said, chuckling as he pulled the fried dough apart and dug in.

"Yeah, who knew they'd discriminate against _height_ at a carnival," Tommy said sarcastically, cracking his neck as he spoke.

Annie giggled as the two men playfully argued. Ripping into her dough with a plastic fork and knife, she blew on the fried substance before slowly placing it in her mouth.

"Wanna play some games after this? Walk off all this greasy food?" Jason suggested. Tommy and Annie nodded appreciatively.

"Mom would kill me if she knew I was eating this stuff," Annie said, shaking her head as she continued to chew happily on the elephant ear.

"Well, what mom doesn't know won't hurt her, right?" Jason whispered wryly, giving her a wink.

For a million reasons, Jason immediately regretted his comment. Annie bit her lip as she and Jason turned to regard Tommy, who had just bit into his own food. Chewing slowly and deliberately, Tommy swallowed hard. He reached for his drink and slurped the last remaining drops of his lemonade before shaking the cup in an attempt to dislodge the ice.

"I'll go get us some more drinks," Jason said quickly, standing up and grabbing the three Styrofoam cups in haste and marching over to the kiosk.

After an awkward moment of silence, Tommy spoke. "You and...your mom...are close, huh?" Tommy asked warily, unsure if he was ready to engage in the conversation _he _was initiating.

Annie lowered her head and shrugged. "I guess so. I mean, she's the person I've spent the most time with," Annie said. Tommy nodded, understanding all that her statement implied.

"Uncle Jason's been around a lot, and Aunt Isha. Although I don't see Aunt Isha as much as I used to when I was little," she continued to explain.

"Do you remember Trini?" Tommy asked suddenly. Annie's eyes widened.

"Yeah," she said softly. "I remember her funeral. I remember meeting you," she confessed. Tommy looked at her tenderly.

"You do?" he asked, hoping she'd elaborate.

"I remember talking to you about Aunt Trini, and my mom calling for me. I remember her asking me where I had been and then when I pointed to you, I remember her pulling me into the car," Annie said distantly.

"Did Kimberly ever say anything to you about who I was?" Tommy asked with difficulty.

He knew now wasn't the most convenient time to be interrogating the girl, but for all the things he did know, there were still so many unanswered questions. Details of each other's lives he had missed or been excluded from. He wanted to know everything she knew. He wanted to know what Kimberly was thinking, why she had erased herself and their daughter from his life. Jason's explanations only covered the basics. And besides, he still didn't trust that Jason wasn't holding something back, for Kimberly's sake.

"Mom only told me that you were an old friend," Annie admitted ruefully. "But I know now, that you were obviously more," she added. Tommy smiled sadly; playing with the food he was no longer interested in eating.

"Why did mom break up with you?" Annie asked suddenly. Tommy was at a loss for words. He hadn't realized that Annie knew about that. Furthermore, he was unsure what she had heard about it, making it more difficult to come up with an answer.

"I...I didn't realize you knew about that," Tommy said truthfully. Annie nodded and smiled sheepishly.

"I overheard you and Uncle Jay talking this morning," she confessed. Tommy laughed at the young girl's tenacity.

"Well, since you already heard half the story... your mom met someone else. At least, that's what the letter said," Tommy explained.

"And that was it?" Annie asked innocently. "You didn't write her back or call her to ask her why?"

Tommy was struck by Annie's words, never having thought to question Kimberly's actions back then.

"Well, when someone writes you a break up letter, telling you they've met someone else, it's a little pointless to ask them why. They've already answered that, haven't they?" Tommy snapped slightly.

Annie winced as Tommy answered her question, feeling as though she had provoked him.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to...I just, I guess knowing everything I know now, it seems like you should have done something," Annie stuttered out.

"Well, at the time, I guess I just took it as something that happens. But you're right, if I had known that any of this was going on...well, I wouldn't have had to wait twelve years to meet you. I would have been there from the moment you were born," Tommy said, softening his tone as he spoke.

Annie gave him a hopeful smile and nodded her head in understanding. "I know that none of this is your fault, Tommy," Annie said.

"Annie...you can call me dad," Tommy told her, although the thought was still somewhat foreign to him. Annie smiled and brushed away a stray tear.

"I convinced the guy to give us smoothies instead of lemon...oh...sorry," Jason blurted out before realizing he'd walked in on a serious moment.

"We're okay, Jase. Just catching up," Tommy said, giving Annie a wink. Jason hesitated for a moment as Annie bit her lip and smiled gratefully at Tommy. When the tension had lifted, Jason carefully handed her a large, strawberry smoothie.

"Princess gets the strawberry," Jason said as Annie looked longingly at the cold beverage in front of her. "I get peach, because I'm just so sweet," he continued, setting his cup in front of him as he sat down beside Annie.

"And for you, the artist formerly known as Tommy," Jason quipped, pushing Tommy's drink in front of him.

Tommy eyed the drink suspiciously before taking a small sip. Jason watched with anticipation as his friend's eyes began their infamous roll.

"Raspberry...haha...Raspberry _sorbet._...I get it," Tommy said in mock annoyance. Jason applauded himself as he squealed in girlish delight.

Annie looked at her uncle pathetically. "You're a weirdo," she told him earnestly.

Jason just continued to giggle to himself as the three sipped their drinks happily before cleaning up their table and setting off to play some games.

"Now, if you're real good, Tommy will win you a prize," Jason told Annie as the trio began their trek around the various booths.

"Oh no! I'm not getting suckered into doing that _ever again_!" Tommy warned, shaking his head.

"Kimberly was notorious for making your dad carry all the animals he'd win for her," Jason explained to Annie.

Annie laughed and punched Tommy's arm. "That's okay, I won't make you do that," Annie assured him.

Tommy nodded his head in a silent _thank you_ before Annie cut him off. "I'll win the animals _myself _ before I make you carry them!" she chirped.

"Come here, Miss Sassy Pants!" Tommy growled in a sudden burst of playful energy. Annie squealed in delight as Tommy began chasing Annie down the strip, laughing and yelping as Tommy gained more ground behind her.

Jason sighed wistfully as he shook his head and watched the pair. In some ways, it reminded him of how Kimberly and Tommy used to behave. The two athletic brunettes chasing each other, laughing and enjoying a teasing exchange. Jason yelled out a triumphant call as Annie successfully beat Tommy to the ground, only to have Tommy pick her up and tickle her as he carried her back to where Jason stood.

"If you two aren't careful, people might think you're dating," Jason told them jokingly.

Annie looked at Tommy, who still held her in his arms. The two looked back at Jason. "Eww!" they said in unison, as Tommy set Annie back down on the ground.

"Wow, I take that back. You two are definitely related," Jason teased. Annie gave Jason a light slap on the chest and Tommy brushed himself off.

"Come on, Wonder Twins. Let's go play some games!" Jason commanded, leading the way as Tommy and Annie followed close behind.

"Watch this," Tommy whispered to Annie. The young girl muffled her laughter as Tommy took off at full speed and jumped on Jason's back. Luckily, Jason braced himself just in time and steadied his feet, holding onto to Tommy's legs as he ran as fast as he could, supporting Tommy's weight.

"If you're not careful, people might think you're dating!" Annie yelled out in satisfied amusement.

"I'd rather have people think I'm gay than dating my daughter!" Tommy shouted back, balancing himself as Jason blazed past the crowd of people in their path.

"Alright cowboy, here's our stop," Jason jibed. Tommy playfully socked him the side as Jason released him. Annie came up behind them, seconds later.

"Which one do you wanna try first?" Tommy asked, looking around at the assortment of booths, all run by similar, seedy carnies. Annie skimmed the games unimpressed until she came upon one with a life-sized, green and pink, polka-dotted killer whale, featured as the game's main prize.

"That one!" she cooed.

Jason and Tommy exchanged knowing glances. For all the appreciated similarities Annie shared with Tommy, finding the most atrocious carnival prizes was definitely a Kimberly trait.

"What do you have to do?" Jason asked casually as the three of them approached the booth.

"Toss the ring and aim for the center, folks! Center bottle wins you a prize!" the carnie beckoned, motioning over the sea of milk bottles filled with sand.

"Those rings don't look wide enough to fit around those bottle necks," Jason commented loudly.

"I assure you sir; all of our games are tested and tried! Observe," the seedy man explained, tossing a ring in demonstration and wrapping it right around the center neck.

Tommy and Annie look toward Jason, both equally impressed. "Hey, it's your dollar, bro," Jason conceded.

"How many chances to you get?" Tommy asked the carnie, who held up three fingers in response as he handed off change to another participant.

"Okay, I'll take one for each of us," Tommy told the man, who once again held up his hand and flashed 9 fingers before offering his palm to receive Tommy's money.

"Here you are sir, good luck," the carnie said, trading Tommy his bills for 9 plastic rings.

"Alright, we each have three chances," Tommy instructed as he handed the rings off to Annie and Jason.

"Okay princess, let's win you that whale," Jason said, nodding in agreement. Annie clapped as she received her rings and stood between the two older men.

"You first, Tommy," Jason said.

"Okay, here goes nothing," Tommy said, rearing his hand back before flicking his wrist as releasing the first ring.

A chorus of jeers were echoed by Jason, Annie and some random passersby as Tommy's first attempt hit the rim of the center bottle and bounced off.

"Game plan, bro," Jason suggested. Tommy stopped himself before throwing the second ring.

"Whaddya think? What did I do wrong?" Tommy asked him.

"Annie, why don't you throw one, see what happens," Jason said. Annie nodded and stepped up to the line as Jason and Tommy watched on, whispering advice to each other.

"Man, what I wouldn't give to have Trini here right now. With her mad power dagger skills...she'd be all over this game," Jason joked bitterly.

"I totally thought I had it," Tommy said.

"Accuracy was never your strong suit, bro," Jason commented.

"I had a flute and a talking sword, man. Give me a break, okay?" Tommy pleaded. The two men laughed as Annie turned back to them and shook her head.

"I missed it," she pouted.

"Uncle Jay's up," Tommy said hopefully. "Make me proud, bro."

Jason tipped his imaginary hat and stepped up to the booth. He licked his finger and held it in the air, checking the wind. Annie giggled as Jason glanced behind him and gave her a wink. "Check this out," he said haughtily as he flicked his wrist sideways, throwing the ring like a ninja star. Annie stood on her tiptoes as she and Tommy watched eagerly. The ring bounced off the rim of the bottle, left from center, flipping over and hooking onto the neck of the bottle beside it. Jason silently cursed, as the carnie clapped and ran to gather the ring from the display.

"Good try. No big winner, but you may choose a prize from the first row," the greasy man told him.

"What do you want, princess?" Jason asked over his shoulder. Annie looked to Tommy before responding.

"You pick. I'm gonna hold out for the killer whale," she explained. Tommy laughed and approached Jason's side.

Tommy scanned the first row of miniature stuffed animals before his eyes settled on one in particular.

"That one," he directed the carnie, who nodded and pulled down a fuzzy, white tiger and handed it off to Jason.

"There you go, six more tries fellas. Good luck," the man told them. Jason rolled his eyes as Tommy petted the stuffed animal before handing it off to Annie.

"Here you are," he said. "Your mom's got one just like it," he said softly. Annie gave him a sad smile before nodding in appreciation and hugging the tiny animal.

"Time to gung-ho, bro," Jason sang out, smiling dryly at Tommy. Tommy laughed as he and Jason assumed identical positions and tossed their second rings in unison.

Both rings went skipping across the rows of bottles, with Tommy's hooking onto a bottle toward the back and Jason's falling in between two others.

"Pick a prize from the first row," the carnie instructed once more. "Your choice, Jase," Tommy told him.

Jason chose the ladybug, receiving a well rounded laugh from Tommy. "You don't get to make fun of my Prince addiction anymore," Tommy told him.

"It's for Annie, smart ass," he snapped, showing off the creature to Annie. Annie smiled as Jason tossed the bug at her.

"Your turn again, miss," the carnie said. Annie took her stance and fired her second ring high into the air, letting it fall. It landed flat on top of two neck bottles, after a moment of rattling around.

"Sorry miss, no prize," the carnie said regretfully. Annie stomped her foot playfully and glance back at her father and uncle.

"Well, we have one more turn a piece," she told them. Jason, who was shifting his weight from foot to foot, gave Tommy a pleading look, as if he was about to burst at the seams.

Tommy rolled his eyes and snickered. "Yes, you can say it," Tommy said with chagrin.

Jason pumped his fist into the air and shouted, "Let's bring 'em together!" Annie gave Jason a puzzled glance and Tommy instructed her to step up between the two of them.

"Okay, on the count of three, we toss the rings," Jason explained. Tommy and Annie nodded, steadying their hands.

"Ready? One, two, three!" Jason exclaimed, watching the trio's rings float into the air.

Jason's ring caught the most air, flying towards the center. Tommy, having observed Annie's technique from before, aimed his ring directly above hers, colliding with it and sending them both straight down onto the center neck, shortly after Jason's. The carnie stared at the phenomenon in disgusted amazement as the small crowd surrounding them joined in their cheer. The slimy man begrudgingly pulled down three giant, stuffed, killer whales for each of them, handing them off as he shook his head.

"NO WAY!" Annie squealed. Tommy and Jason high fived each other before gladly accepting their prizes.

"Good guys always win," Tommy said, laughing as the three of them began walking away from the booth.

"Every time, bro," Jason nodded proudly as he showed off his whale and lady bug with aplomb to strangers as they continued walking around.

"You mean you guys have done that before?" Annie asked curiously, struggling to hold the whale and tiger at the same time.

Tommy nodded as he took the tiger from her, leaving her to wrap her arms around the giant whale.

"Tommy and I figured out how to beat that game a long time ago," Jason told her.

"It always takes a few turns to warm up though," Tommy agreed.

"You guys totally cheated!" Annie said in mock accusation. "Hey, we do not cheat!" Jason told her, pinching her cheek.

"It's kind of fun watching the carnie's jaw drop after we've missed every other shot," Tommy added.

"Where to next?" Tommy asked.

"Actually, I'm getting kind of hungry for real food. And it's getting kind of late. Wanna head back?" Jason told them.

"Oh! Can we ride on the Ferris wheel one more time?" Annie begged.

"That sounds like fun," Tommy said, shrugging at Jason.

"You guys go ahead. I'll stay down here with the animals," Jason offered.

Annie and Tommy looked to each other and shrugged. "Okay. Thanks Uncle Jay," Annie said, handing off her prizes as Tommy followed suit.

"Shall we?" Tommy asked, offering his arm for her. Annie obliged and wrapped her arm in his, walking off toward the Ferris wheel.

Jason situated himself on the bench below the Ferris wheel, lost in thought at how today's events were playing out.

Suddenly, he felt a soft vibration near his thigh. He scrambled to reach into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. Seeing the number, he took a deep breath before answering.

"Hey Kim," he shouted over the noise.

Up on the Ferris wheel, Tommy and Annie were enjoying the view, the cacophony of carnival sounds muffled, thanks to their currently high altitude.

"Did you have fun?" Tommy asked the girl, self consciously avoiding her gaze as he spoke.

"I had a lot of fun. Thank you," Annie replied obediently. Tommy nodded in appreciation, letting them slip back into an awkward silence.

"I don't want to go home," Annie said after a minute or so, tears forming in her eyes.

"Annie, please don't cry," Tommy told her, unsure of the best method to console the young girl.

"If I go home, I'll never get to see you again," Annie sobbed. Tommy now turned to face her directly, holding her hands in his.

"I promise you, you will see me again, okay?" Tommy assured her.

"But what if mom doesn't let me visit?" Annie asked worriedly. Tommy shook his head and bridged the gap between them by wrapping his arm around her.

"Your mom and I have a lot of things to work out. But I won't let another twelve years go by. I promise you," Tommy told her halfheartedly. Annie rested her head on Tommy's chest, sniffling as her tears began to subside.

As the pair slowly retreated from the ride, they noticed Jason missing.

"Damn it, Jase," Tommy cursed under his breath. Annie gave her father a concerned look. "Where'd he go?" she asked, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of her uncle.

"I'm finding out right now," Tommy told her as he dialed Jason's number on his cell phone. Tommy continued to look around as he and Annie began wandering aimlessly.

Receiving a busy signal, Tommy pulled the phone away from his face and began to redial. "Well, the prizes aren't here, I don't where he would have ran off to with five giant stuffed animals," Tommy muttered, glancing around as he spoke.

Finally, Jason picked up. "Jase? Where'd you go?" Tommy asked, slightly annoyed.

"I'm at the car. Head on back and meet me here, we gotta go," Jason said quickly. Still on the line to Jason, Tommy grabbed Annie's hand and started walking briskly toward the parking lot.

"What's going on, bro? Is everything alright?" Tommy asked uneasily.

"I'll tell you in the car, just...we need to get back to the house now," Jason explained in a fury, ending the call.

Tommy closed his cell phone and shook his head in confusion, continuing to pull Annie behind him as they made their way to the car as fast as they could.

Once Jason saw his two companions approaching the car, he stood up from his leaning position against the car and proceeded to pick up the assortment of stuffed animals the trio had acquired.

"Thank God," Jason sighed as Tommy ushered Annie over to the passenger's side, while he unlocked the driver's side. Once unlocked, Jason tossed the prizes into the backseat, climbing in after them.

"What the hell is going on, Jase?" Tommy asked as he saddled into his seat. Jason motioned subtly over to Annie before answering.

"How far is it to the house from here?" Jason asked anxiously, smoothing out his jeans methodically.

"Depends on how fast I need to get back there. What's going on?" Tommy repeated. Jason sighed and lowered his head.

"We just need to get there," he said simply. "And fast," he added, checking the time on his cell phone.

Tommy shook his head, troubled by his friend's sudden secrecy and nervousness, the cause of which he was still unsure.

Annie, on the other hand, remained complacent. She focused on the window, pretending to be oblivious to her Uncle Jason's cryptic demeanor. She, unlike Tommy, had figured out the source of Jason's panic. He behaved the exact same way when he had helped her sneak out of the house to visit Tommy. Jason was scared. Annie's eye hardened as she continued to gaze out the window. Her mother was coming.

_**AN: Oh boy! So, the bonding between Tommy and Annie continues….but what will happen when Kimberly arrives? Find out next! Please Read and Review!**_


	13. This is What it Sounds Like

_**AN: Here we go. Kimberly and Tommy come face to face. What will happen? Find out below! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing. This chapter is rated mature for severe language.**_

_**Pulse **_

_**Chapter 13  
This is What it Sounds Like**_

_September 4th, 2007  
Tommy's Jeep  
Reefside California  
6:00pm_

Having grown tired of trying to figure out what was wrong with Jason and his sudden need to return to the house so quickly, Tommy decided to entertain Annie, in hopes of learning more about his daughter and the life she had been living.

"How does the chorus go again?" He asked her, having engaged the young girl in a conversation about her current favorite artist, Ani Difranco.

_Cause someone you don't know,  
is someone you don't know.  
Get a firm grip, girl, before you let go.  
For every hand extended, another lies in wait.  
Keep your eye on that one, anticipate_

Annie sang half heartedly as Tommy nodded in rhythm, trying to learn the words as she spoke.

Annie gave him a bashful grin as he attempted to hum along, seeing that the only way to hint to her father of the pending doom awaiting him back home, was through song. She had tried three other songs, all with the repeating themes of heartache, betrayal and foresight. _The latter of which, her father apparently had none._

"I can't seem to pin the melody down," Tommy laughed pathetically, shrugging as he gave Annie a goofy grin. Annie snickered nervously.

Jason, would have rolled his eyes at Tommy's desperate attempt to relate to Annie, had it not been for the fact that the car had just pulled onto Valencia Drive, the long and desolate strip of gravel that led to the only house in this part of the woods; _Tommy's._

It would be mere minutes before they all would come face to face with a reunion that was surely not to be a joyous one. And although Jason knew he had ultimately done the right thing, secretly leading Tommy to meet up with Kim, he still couldn't help but feel as though he was digging the knife further and further into his best friend's back.

As the car made its final stretch toward the house, Tommy asked, "What was the Prince song that she covered?"

But Annie never got the chance to tell him as the black jeep rode into the driveway. Beside Jason's red truck, was another car. A black sedan. Tommy stopped dead in his tracks, not needing the slim female silhouette, standing on his porch, to verify whose car it was.

Tommy turned the ignition off and turned his seat to face Jason.

"I'm sorry, bro," Jason said, lowering his head and slowly climbing out of the car. Tommy glanced over at Annie, who just lowered her head as well and followed her uncle.

Tommy watched as Jason and Annie made their way up the driveway and onto the porch. Kimberly stood frozen as Annie gave her a penetrating stare before shaking her head and running into the house. Kimberly watched her daughter run away from her attempted embrace before scolding Jason. Jason raised his hands before him, as if to guard himself from a shove. Tommy continued to stare in shock as Kimberly yelled at Jason, pointing in the direction of Annie's run past her. Jason shook his head and threw his hand up in defeat, slowly making his way inside the house after Annie.

Now, Kimberly was alone once again on Tommy's porch. Tommy waited in anticipation, hoping she'd realize he wasn't going to get out of his car, and forfeit her attempts. Unfortunately, he wasn't that lucky. Kimberly called his bluff, and turned to face his car. Tommy leaned back in his chair as her frightened but enraged eyes pierced straight through him.

Seeing the hint of aggression in her face, Tommy was suddenly overwhelmed with his own anger. Unbuckling his seatbelt, Tommy climbed out of his Jeep and shut the door. Standing his ground beside the automobile. After about a minute or so of silence, Kimberly shook her head and started to descend the porch steps.

"I thought this was going to help, but I guess it's not," she muttered, although still loud enough for Tommy to hear.

She glanced over her shoulder as she unlocked her car door and saw that Tommy was remaining speechless.

"I thought you'd at least have something to say to me," she said with a hint of disgust. Tommy again, remained stoic, watching her silently fume and fidget.

Opening the car door and then thinking twice, Kimberly slammed the door shut and gave Tommy a pleading look.

"Would you _please_ say something?" she begged, leaning into her car as she spoke.

Tommy shrugged slightly and looked out to gaze absently at his ocean view. "What the hell do you want me to say?" he asked quietly.

Kimberly snickered and shook her head. "I knew it. I knew you wouldn't want to talk to me. Look, I just want to get Annie and leave, okay?" she said sharply, stuffing her keys aggressively into her purse before turning toward the house once more.

"Run away and never let me see her again," Tommy mused calmly.

Kimberly turned around slowly and stared him down. "I'm not proud of what I've done," Kimberly explained sharply.

"Well, you shouldn't be," Tommy shot back. Kimberly inhaled a sharp breath before nodding slowly, acknowledging the tone of the conversation yet to come.

"Is that all?" she started, lowering her head in shame. "Is that all you have to say to me?" she squeaked out.

"I've already done my yelling, Kim. I want my paternity recognized and I want shared custody of Annie. Then maybe we can just go back to our own lives," Tommy said simply.

Kimberly wanted a fight. She needed it, in fact. As much as she had dreaded a confrontation with Tommy, she knew she deserved to be ripped apart for her actions. But he wasn't giving her that satisfaction. Frustrated and compelled to disappear, Kimberly lowered her head and started to cry.

"I'm sorry Tommy," she breathed, lifting her head to face him with shame. Tommy just stared at her blankly, keeping his cool.

"You should be," he said.

"I owe you an explanation," she said dutifully, preparing her testimony from the beginning.

"For what, Kim? You got pregnant with my child, broke up with me and never told me about it. It's done, Kim. No explanation, and no apology is going to change anything. Nothing you say can give me back those twelve years. And frankly, nothing you have to tell me could make me change the way I feel," he explained cooly, his voice rising slightly with pent up agitation.

Kimberly sensed his suppressed rage and attempted to latch on. She needed him to yell at her. Blame her for everything she did to disrupt their relationship. For out of fear comes anger, and anger managed, comes resolve. If she could only get Tommy angry, and then come to understand her reasoning, there may be a chance to repair what was left.

"Jason didn't tell you everything," Kimberly said quickly, wincing as Tommy's expression shifted slightly.

Tommy should have expected, but did not realize for certain until now, that Jason had told Kimberly everything _they'd_ talked about.

"I'm sure he didn't," Tommy responded sincerely, although mildly annoyed.

"Before Annie was born," Kimberly started, glancing over her shoulder to ensure Annie was well out of ear shot.

"I almost had an abortion," she said quickly, covering her mouth with her hands.

Tommy could feel his well-calculated calmness, slowly dissolving. His fists clenched by his side, his rapid heart rate, his sudden inability to maintain direct eye contact with Kim any longer . . . he was about to unleash.

"Why would you tell me that?" he asked pointedly. Kimberly gave him a pathetic look of conceit.

"Because it's the truth! Tommy, I'm trying to come clean!" She pleaded.

"Why didn't you go through with it?" he asked, tilting his head in suspicion.

"Would you have wanted me to?" Kimberly gasped at Tommy's question.

"No! I would have wanted you to keep it, but since I was never asked, why didn't you go through with it?" he asked again.

"I was scared! I couldn't! I knew it was yours! I couldn't do that to you!" She explained in a harsh whine, her tears muffling her diction as she shouted across the driveway.

"But you can have the child and hide it from me for twelve years?!" He exclaimed, his voice on the verge of shouting.

"I didn't know what to do! I was afraid you wouldn't want anything to do with me!" She cried, flailing her arms in frustration.

"How could you think that? I would have given up everything for you!" He snapped back, his voice now in full yelling mode.

"Tommy, we were in high school! I was in florida training to be an olympian! You were saving the goddamn world! What was I supposed to do? I couldn't have asked you to give everything up!"

"It would have been my choice, Kim! And I would have– " He yelled back before realizing he had broken his own promise to not scream anymore. Stopping mid thought, Tommy started shaking his head and pacing in front of his car.

"You know what? I'm not doing this. I'm not having _THIS_..._Pointless_..._Conversation. _If you don't know by now what I would have done for you, you're a fucking idiot!" Tommy said sharply, bringing his voice back down as he spoke.

Kimberly gasped at his uncharacteristic choice of words before breaking into tears again and running from the porch toward her car. And she didn't know why, but what she released into Tommy' conscience next, was an unnecessary bullet. The attempted abortion had more substantial validity, but this . . . Kimberly was just a glutton for punishment.

"The letter was a lie," she said, stopping in front of the car with her back facing him. Tommy's face dropped. Kimberly had called his bluff,_ again._ He stood there silent for a moment before snickering and shaking his head is disgust.

"Why?" was all he could ask. Kimberly, remained turned away. "It was Trini's idea–"she started to say befor Tommy cut her off.

"Trini put you up to that?" Tommy repeated in disbelief. "I don't believe you," he added.

"Well, its' true! I didn't want to hurt you by hiding the baby from you while we were still together, so Trini convinced me to write you a letter saying I had met someone else," she explained regretfully.

"So instead of hurting me by staying with me and hiding our child from me, you decided tohide our child while you broke my heart! Smart plan, Kim," he said bitingly.

"It wasn't my plan! It was Trini's" Kimberly repeated.

"Trini's dead, Kimberly! I can't blame her for anything! And I don't believe for a second that she would try to break us up!" Tommy challenged.

Kimberly slammed her palm against the hood of her car and piked her torso forward. "Do you have any idea how hard is was for me to write you that letter?" She demanded in a harsh whisper.

"About as hard as it was to look me in the face at Trini's funeral and not tell me the truth!" Tommy insisted.

"Damn it, Kim! Annie was glued to my side half the day, and you didn't even have the decency to tell me!"

"And do what, Tommy? Tell you at my best friend's funeral that the little girl who's strangely attached to you is the daughter you haven't seen or known about in six years?" Kimberly accused.

"If you hadn't run your stupid mouth off at the wake . . . all that bullshit about me being embarrassed and how you all didn't judge me . . . "

"How was I supposed to know? Jason tells me that Annie's your daughter, you've never been married . . . All I knew was that you had been with someone else, I just assumed that you didn't want the gang to know!" he defended.

"Well, I got news for ya, Tommy . . . the gang_ did_ know! In fact, they not only already knew I had a daughter, but that she was _yours_, too! How's _that_ for embarrassing!" she barked in return.

Tommy stopped for a second to process the information before shaking his head in defiance. "Everyone knew except me?" he asked more to himself. Kimberly just nodded regretfully.

Tommy started to pacing again, clenching his fists as he shook his head in disbelief. It was hard to process, but Tommy was more angry at _himself _than anyone. How his usually endearingly oblivious nature had back fired on him. He started ruminating on all the subtle hints that had been dropped, all the flippant comments people made in a veiled attempt to unburden themselves with the truth. _He hadn't noticed any of them._ Jason had left _plenty _out of their earlier conversation, Tommy supposed it was probably better to hear it from Kim. He knew he needed the closure. Of course, it didn't change the unthinkably possible fact, that Tommy felt more foolish than before.

"Leave," he commanded quietly, starting toward the house. Kimberly looked up and watched him for a moment before calling after him.

"What about Annie? She can't stay here!" Kimberly yelled out, trying to sound more forceful than she felt.

Tommy stopped on the porch and turned around to face her. "Jason can drive her back tomorrow," he said coldly.

"I'll call a lawyer on Monday," he finished before turning back and heading inside the house.

As the front door slammed shut, Kimberly fell to her knees in the driveway, barely holding herself up by leaning against her car. She had never wanted any of this. And now she felt not only the remorse for what she'd put Tommy and Annie through, but unrelenting guilt for having used Trini as her scapegoat. She looked up to the sky said a silent prayer.

Managing to pull herself up from the floor, Kimberly shakily slid into the driver's seat and sat for a moment before putting the keys in the ignition. She shut her door and steadied her breath as she turned the key. Nothing.

Kimberly's eyes widened in terror as she cranked the key again. Nothing. She shook her head violently as her tears resurfaced, panic striking her body. Nothing and more nothing. The engine wasn't rumbling, not even a latent clicking sound to indicate a dead battery. And yet, her car was dead. She released the key and slammed herself back into her seat, pounding the dashboard with her fist. Sad tears giving way to frightened ones, she fumbled around in her purse, looking for her cell phone.

Back inside the house, Tommy was watching Kimberly from the living room window.

"She's still here!" Tommy said incredulously. "Annie's upstairs," Jason informed him, reentering the living room from the kitchen.

He and Annie, having left the front door open, had heard the majority of the argument. Fortunately, Jason had advised her to return to her room before Kimberly had revealed the abortion shocker. Jason knew he'd have some explaining to do, aware that Kim had opened old wounds. Wounds that should have at least been _protected _by his and Tommy's earlier conversation. Jason felt like a hypocrite, and a traitor. Fortunately, Tommy somehow was convinced that Jason was not the ultimate culprit, respecting Jason's awkward position of middle man and messenger.

"She's just sitting in her car," Tommy noted in confusion. Jason approached the window to see for himself.

The two men continued to watch as Kimberly finally got out of her car and popped the hood open. Seeing that she was talking on her cell phone as she examined the engine's contents.

Jason pulled away from the window. "I think her car died," Jason said. Tommy snickered and moved to the couch.

"Whatever," he muttered, sinking into the pillows. Just then, the doorbell rang. Jason gave Tommy a knowing look before Tommy rolled his eyes and slid off the couch, moving toward the kitchen.

Jason sighed and opened the door. There Kimberly stood, dragging her purse along the floor, cell phone in hand, eyes red and swollen.

"My car died," she said timidly. Jason gave her a sad smile before glancing over his shoulder. He saw Tommy standing at the archway between the kitchen and living room, anxious to know what was going on.

"Can you call someone?" Jason asked nervously, returning his gaze back to Kim. Kim shook her head pathetically and displayed her cell phone. "My phone died too," she said tearfully. Jason had his cell phone, in his bedroom. He'd have to either lead Kimberly into the house and retrieve it, or leave her alone with Tommy to fetch himself.

Then, an idea struck him. "You can use mine," he said, wrapping an arm around her petite body and letting her just inside of the door. Shutting the door behind him, Jason snuck a quick glance toward the kitchen, where Tommy was now busying himself with food preparation.

"I'll be right back," Jason said quickly, halting Kimberly's protests.

As Jason rounded the corner toward his bedroom, Kimberly fidgeted quietly by the front door. She looked around sadly at Tommy's living room. The decor, the lack of photos, the furniture . . . he had a simple, single life. Kimberly ventured a glance toward the kitchen, as Tommy looked up from his cooking.

They stared at each other for a moment, their gazes both riddled with sadness and longing, anger and confusion. Jason returned from his bedroom, as Tommy and Kimberly broke their stare. Jason displayed his empty hands bashfully.

"I've seemed to misplace my phone," he lied. Jason had the brilliant but dangerous idea, to abuse Tommy's generous nature and convince him to have Kim stay over while her car was fixed. It was risky, and probably unwise, but Jason was determined to rid his two friends of their troubled past and reunite them with their daughter. _As a family._

Kimberly's face dropped when Jason revealed he had lost his phoneTommy, overhearing this, shot Jason a suspicious look as his best friend approached him. Motioning for Kim to hold on, Jason wandered to the kitchen and gave Tommy a guilty smile.

"We can't just leave her stranded," Jason explained. Tommy snickered. "That's funny," Tommy said dryly, hinting at the ironic comment Jason made.

"Tommy, come on. Bro, it's not safe for her to grab a cab to some random auto mechanic by herself," Jason scrambled.

"You drive her then. I have no problem with your alliance to her," Tommy explained casually. Although Jason still caught the slight bitterness in his tone.

Jason glanced back toward Kimberly, who was still looking around Tommy's living room. He turned back to face Tommy once again.

"Why doesn't she stay for dinner?" Jason asked suddenly, taking an enormous leap of faith. Tommy almost dropped the pan he had just placed on top of the stove.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" Tommy whispered harshly, leaning in toward Jason. Jason shrugged and motioned a tight arm upstairs.

"Well, Annie's still here. They have some things to work out too," Jason explained timidly. Tommy shook his head.

"Kim can figure out her problems on her own damn time! Forget it!" Tommy shot back, glancing past Jason to make sure Kimberly couldn't hear their conversation.

"Bro, you know she needs the help," Jason said slowly, admonishing Tommy's resistance kindly.

Tommy's conscience was screaming. He certainly wouldn't feel right if something happened to Kim, but his heart couldn't handle having her in such close proximity.

"Fine," Tommy said after a moment. "She can stay for dinner."

Jason gave Tommy an appreciative nudge to the shoulder. "Maybe she should just stay for the evening, it's already pretty late," Jason suggested. Tommy gave him a deathly glare.

"Don't push it," Tommy warned, shaking his head. Jason nodded in apologetic agreement and spun around to inform Kim of the change in plans.

Tommy backed away from the doorway to observe Kim's reaction. She was undoubtedly surprised, and a little frightened, if Tommy read her body language right.

"Kim, it'll be fine," Jason assured her quietly as Kim's shoulders tensed beneath his grasp.

"It's not that I don't appreciate it . . . I just . . . don't think . . . " Kim started to say before Tommy approached them. Jason instinctively dropped his hands to his side while Kimberly bit her lip and looked away.

Tommy rolled his eyes and snickered. "You'll need these," he said dryly, tossing a phone book and his cordless phone onto the couch beside Kimberly.

Kimberly noticed the items and looked back to Tommy, who had already returned to the kitchen. She then looked to Jason, who merely shrugged and reached for the phone book.

"He dog-eared the hotel page," Jason smiled to himself, hoping that this was Tommy's bizarre way of trying to keep the peace.

Kimberly gave Jason a fragile smile before slowly reaching for the phone and taking the phone book from him.

"Umm, I guess I'll just step outside for a moment," Kim said quietly. Jason nodded and opened the door for her.

Shutting it behind him once again, and sparing a quick glance out the window to make sure Kim was indeed, using the phone, he returned back to the kitchen.

"You're definitely a better man than me, bro," Jason told Tommy. Tommy looked up from his cooking and gave Jason a blank stare.

"Sometimes I can't tell whose side you're on," Tommy quipped. Jason laughed nervously and shook his head.

"Me either, bro. Me either," Jason muttered. Tommy managed a small laugh of his own, despite the tension and anxiety he presently felt.

"Someone should tell Annie," Tommy added. Jason's smile suddenly faded, realizing this evening would prove just as awkward for her.

"Yeah. I'll go," Jason said, nodding as he left the kitchen and started for the stairs. Tommy sighed heavily and returned to preparing dinner.

Kimberly returned inside a few moments later as Tommy begrudgingly set up a fourth place setting. Tommy had never been a brilliant chef, but years alone had taught him innovation. And now, he wanted to impress Annie.

Presently, having Kim in his house was bothering him more than he'd allow himself to let on. The emotions he was feeling were beyond comprehension, but he wasn't a bad guy. He could manage a distant, safe, removed dinner with his best friend, his newly found daughter, and his estranged ex-girlfriend _(who happened to be the mother of his newly found daughter)._

"Who am I kidding?" He thought to himself as he watched Kimberly carefully sit on the very edge of the couch and continued to search the phone book.

She looked up and noticing him watching her. She raised the phone and gave him a pathetic smile. "The phone was breaking up outside," she barely squeaked out.

Tommy raised his eyebrows in silent reproach and went back to setting the table. Kimberly nodded to herself and snickered.

"Who am I kidding?" She said under her breath as she flipped the pages of the phone book.

Upstairs, Jason was finding it difficult to convince Annie of their pending dinner plans.

"They're gonna kill each other!" she groaned, falling back onto her bed. Jason, leaning against the closed door, just shrugged.

"Maybe they won't," he said casually, receiving a look of ridicule from Annie.

"I have ears, Uncle Jay," Annie said firmly. Jason gave her a confused look before a wry smile crept to his face.

"What does that mean?" he asked curiously. Annie shrugged and rolled onto her stomach, propping her chin up with her palms.

"All they're going to do is yell," Annie told him. Jason snickered and shifted his weight against the door.

"Actually, we'll be lucky if they yell. Knowing you're dad, he'll probably just avoid talking all together," Jason mused.

"Well, I can't wait for dinner!" Annie mocked as she rolled her eyes. "Smooth plan, Uncle Jay," she scolded playfully.

"Annie, I'm sorry about all of this," Jason said, becoming serious. He approached the bed and sat along the edge and placed a tender hand on the young girl's back.

Annie sighed. And collapsed her arms, letting her chin rest on top of them. "I don't need to hear that from you," she said quietly.

Jason snickered admiringly at Annie's insightfulness. "At least someone in this family understands that," Jason said absently.

"Come on, why don't we go downstairs and try this," Jason said, nudging her as he stood up and headed for the door.

Annie shrugged and climbed off her bed. "Here goes nothing," she chirped as Jason held the door for her.

Meanwhile, the silence from the living room to the kitchen was deafening. Tommy had taken it upon himself to make as much noise as possible while Kimberly made her arrangements over the phone. Having discovered that the auto shop was already closed, she decided to deal with her car problems tomorrow and book a hotel for the night.

But Tommy had made her phone conversation rather difficult, conveniently clanging pots and pans, cursing when he'd accidentally burnt himself, turning the sink on and off repeatedly. Kimberly was growing more and more frustrated by the minute, but wouldn't dare accuse him of purposefully making things difficult. She had more propriety than that.

Thankfully, she had managed to secure a reservation at the Reefside Motel, but not without having to repeat her information at least three times before she was sure the receptionist had heard her. Tommy had ceased his cacophony as Kimberly hung up the phone, allowing the silence to return, much to Kimberly's bizarre relief.

"Look who I found," Jason beamed as he and Annie entered the living room.

Tommy stepped out of the kitchen and stared as Kimberly stood up and did the same. Jason backed up to allow Annie forward as the dysfunctional trio studied each other for a moment. _There they were, all three of them, in the same house._ They looked like a family, although the moment was fleeting. Kimberly locked eyes with Annie and bit her lip, overcome with shame.

"I can't do this," Kimberly said suddenly, tears streaming down her face. Jason stepped forward as Tommy rolled his eyes. Annie glanced back at Jason with concern.

Kimberly fumbled with her purse as her sobs became more hysterical. "I can't do this . . . ummm . . . thank you but. . . I can't . . . umm . . . " she stuttered as she continued to dig through her bag.

"Kim, wait a second," Jason began. Tommy waved his hands in annoyance before turning back to the kitchen, shaking his head.

"Let her go, Jase. This was a bad idea," he called out, breaking his feigned vow of silence. Annie shook her head as well and laughed bitterly to Jason.

"I knew this wouldn't work," she told him, folding her arms across her chest. Kimberly finally zipped up her purse and held her hand out toward Annie.

"Come on, Annie. Let's go. My car died, I got us a hotel, come on," she ushered quickly. Tommy spun back around and marched into the living room.

"I don't want to go!" Annie protested. Jason stepped in between the two women.

"Kim, hold on a sec," Jason pleaded.

"Would you mind giving us a ride?" Kimberly asked impatiently, still motioning for Annie.

"Come on, Ann. We'll grab the rest of you stuff tomorrow. Let's go," she repeated.

"I don't want to go, mom! I want to stay here!" Annie whined.

"Look, she doesn't want to leave, Kim!" Tommy snapped. Jason sighed and shook his head as he searched his pockets for his keys.

"I guess I'm taking you," he muttered begrudgingly. Kimberly gave Annie a stern look before heading for the door.

"No, stop it! She doesn't want to go!" Tommy said again, stepping further into the room.

"You coming?" Kimberly commanded, her hand on the knob. Jason, finding his keys remained still as Annie gave him a pleading look. Jason shrugged and looked to Kimberly who huffed and shook her head.

Annie then looked to Tommy, who was staring Kim down. Annie then returned her gaze toward her mother.

"I don't want to go. Why are you leaving? I thought– " Annie started to say before Kim cut her off.

"Well, we're not. And that's final," Kimberly scolded. Annie shook her head and started to cry.

"I DON'T WANT TO!" Annie screamed, causing the three adults to wince.

Kimberly gave her daughter a deathly glare before pointing at her. "Don't you DARE take that tone with me! You've got a lot of explaining to do!" Kimberly shot back.

"Please . . . please you guys, don't do this," Jason whimpered.

"I've got explaining to do? What about you?" Annie challenged. Tommy took a step closer to Annie.

"Kim," he started sharply before getting abruptly cut off.

"Don't you dare talk back to me! We are not having this discussion here! Get in the car, NOW!" Kimberly shouted over Tommy and Jason's soft protests.

"Kim, enough! She doesn't want to leave yet!" Tommy yelled.

"You really want me here, Tommy? Do you? _No. You don't._ What the hell is having dinner going to solve?" Kimberly lashed out.

"We're doing this for Annie!" Tommy shot back. Jason backed up against the door as Kimberly and Tommy, both in piked positions, continued to yell at one another.

"Why? So she can see how well we get along?" Kimberly challenged.

"Well that's not _my_ fault!" Tommy scoffed.

"She ran away! Am I supposed to just forget that?"

"Can you blame her?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Hide her from me for twelve years!"

"I didn't know what to do!"

"TELL THE TRUTH, DAMN IT!"

"HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO?"

"YOU DON'T TELL ME . . . "

"WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED–"

"YOU DON'T TELL YOUR DAUGHTER . . . "

"I MADE A MISTAKE!"

"GREAT MOTHER YOU TURNED OUT TO BE!"

"DON'T YOU DARE!"

"DO YOU EVEN CARE ABOUT WHAT THIS HAS DONE TO HER?"

"I AM A GOOD MOTHER"

"COULD HAVE FOOLED ME!"

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT–"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE . . . "

"I WAS RIGHT TO BREAK UP WITH YOU!"

"MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD THE ABORTION!"

An earth shattering slam was miraculously heard over the shouting as Tommy's last devastating comment was made. Tommy and Kimberly suddenly stopped and realized that Annie had not only witnessed the entire screaming match, but had most definitely heard Tommy's confession.

Jason's eyes were wide with horror, as were Kimberly's. Tommy remained frozen in shock, disbelieving what he had revealed.

Kimberly eyes were brimming with tears, and yet . . . the hell she presently felt wouldn't let them fall. Jason was the first to find his legs again, and started for the stairs just as a loud blaring guitar screech came from the bedroom.

Jason listened carefully as the music became audible and a woman's bizarre twang rang out. Tommy released a perverse laugh as he recognized the song. Kimberly shook her head and ran out the door, her tears finally falling.

_How can u just leave me standing  
alone in a world that's so cold?  
Maybe I'm just too demanding.  
Maybe I'm just like my father: too bold.  
Maybe you're just like my mother.  
She's never satisfied.  
Why do we scream at each other?_

Jason just stood motionless, unable to process the surreal mix of irony and devastation. Tommy shook his head and slammed his fist into the wall.

_This is what it sounds like when doves cry._

_**AN: Whoa. That was a lot to take in. I hope I've whetted your appetites with this chapter. What happens now? Find out next time! Please Read and Review!**_


	14. Over the Threshold

_**AN: I am so sorry for the absence! I have been sick as a dog! Thankfully, I am fully recovered and back on track! Hope you're all still with me. So, Tommy and Kim have come face to face, and the truth has been revealed! What happens next? Find out below! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 14  
Over the Threshold**_

_September 4th, 2007  
Reefside Hotel  
8:00pm_

The knocking on Kimberly's door had been continuous for the last ten minutes. She had no intention of answering it . . . ever.

Finally, the knocking stopped. Curious to see if her visitor had left, Kimberly stumbled over to the door and undid the latch. Swinging the door open with more force than she had intended, her tiny body went sailing forward, toppling the man who had been previously banging on the door.

Both parties groaned as Kimberly pushed herself up awkwardly, opening her swollen eyes to reveal Tommy beneath her. Stunned, Tommy remained frozen, unsure how to pry Kimberly's dead weight off of him.

Kimberly on the other hand, snickered and inadvertently punched Tommy's stomach as she attempted to stand up again. Upon landing on her feet, she carelessly slammed up against the wall of her room and proceeded to slide along its length as she stumbled back inside.

Tommy watched for a moment in disgust and concern, before standing up and regaining his footing. He made a few careful steps beyond the threshold of the room and gave the still opened door a soft tap.

Spinning around aggressively, Kimberly now held the source of her erratic behavior. A glass tumbler filled with a smoky brown liquid. Tommy sighed and glanced around the room, confirming his suspicions. On the bed were six empty bottles of whiskey, retrieved from the mini fridge, and on the table were three rather auspicious glasses that had undoubtedly once held some sort of margherita or other lethal cocktail.

"What are you doing here?" Kimberly slurred angrily, skidding backwards to brace herself from falling once again.

Tommy shook his head and stuffed his hands deep into his pockets. Kimberly gestured again, piking toward him as if silently challenging him to answer her question.

Tommy snickered and turned on his heels to leave. Kimberly laughed pathetically before crying. Shaking her head violently, she chugged the remains of her glass and moved to the mini fridge once again, scrambling inside to obtain more bottles.

Tommy stopped at the sound of the fridge being opened and spun back around. With a few wide strides he made his way over to Kim and snatched the bottles away from her.

"GIMME THAT!" she screamed, slapping Tommy's arms as he held the liquor away from her. Collecting the bottles into one hand and holding them above his head, Tommy reached his other arm out in an attempt to hold Kimberly's slapping hands at bay.

"You've had enough!" He told her. Kimberly screamed again and ducked under his arm, running across the room to the table.

Grabbing her room key and robe, she pushed passed Tommy and headed for the door. Tommy dropped the tiny bottles onto the bed as he made his way after Kim. He tried grabbing her robe as she stepped into the hallway, but she wriggled free from the cloak and stumbled slightly as she dashed toward the elevator.

"Kim, stop!" he commanded. Throwing the lifeless robe behind him and chasing after her.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" she yelled back, still running down the hall in little more than a large t-shirt. He caught up to her and grabbed her by the waist, practically dragging her back toward the room.

He winced but held on as she twisted her body around, slapping and punching him. Finally, he caught her hands and held onto them tightly and proceeded to lift her up and carry her back into the bedroom, still holding her hands down as he did.

Kicking the still opened door with his foot, Tommy maneuvered Kim and himself through the doorway and slammed his shoulder into the bathroom door, opening it as well. Once inside and still attempting to fight him off of her, Kimberly released a painful yelp as her body was launched in the bathtub with an ungraceful thud.

Tommy quickly turned on the shower head and blasted her with icy water. Kim gurgled an interrupted scream as the water came rushing onto her face and into her mouth. She gulped and panted heavily as she tried to catch her breath.

Tommy watched her for a moment, stoic but exhausted, before whipping the curtain closed and shutting the door behind him.

As he listened for her movements in the shower, which eventually calmed, he began cleaning up the disaster area she had managed to create in her hotel room in a mere hour and a half.

Jason had dropped her off at the hotel right after the explosion they had shared back at Tommy's house. Jason returned a half hour later and expressed to Tommy his concern about Kim. How she had almost immediately started drinking the minute they had arrived at her room, locking Jason out to wonder and worry.

Similarly, Tommy had been trying to get Annie out of her own room for the last hour and a half without any luck.

After attempting to lure Annie out of her room, only to be screamed at and a rather hard object thrown at his head, both men decided to switch. And although the prospect of having to face Kimberly again did not encourage Tommy, Kimberly's uncharacteristic escape into obliteration, did worry him. As devastating as their fight had been, Kimberly had never been one to drink away her problems.

After about twenty minutes, Kim reappeared from the shower still inebriated, but a little less hysterical. Tommy looked up from the chair beside the table he had finally settled in and inhaled a sharp breath. Kim, clad only in an extremely short towel, tentatively made her way across the room. Tommy eyed her carefully as she avoided his gaze, deliberately grabbed some fresh clothes out of her bag and promptly returned to the bathroom.

Tommy silently berated himself for having been caught off guard by Kim's practically naked body a few feet away.

It wasn't anything he hadn't seen before, albeit it had been a long time ago . . . but still, given the circumstances, he was furious at where his thoughts had suddenly ventured.

Once she was back inside the bathroom, Tommy released the breath he'd been holding and anxiously glanced around the room. Suddenly a retching sound came from the bathroom. Tommy shot across the room instinctively before realizing what he'd done, once again silently admonishing himself. But the retching continued, and Tommy's heroic nature kicked in. He lightly knocked on the door.

"Kim?" he asked simply. No answer but another throaty heave and cough. Tommy grimaced at the door as he continued to listen to Kimberly throw up her liquid repentance.

Again he knocked softly, but upon hearing the toilet flush, decided to enter. Tommy's eyes widened in shock as he saw Kimberly bent over the toilet in what he assumed was half of the new outfit she had attempted to put on before getting sick. Her blouse was balled up in her left hand as her right hand wrapped around the bowl. She slowly lifted her head to see Tommy standing over her, before coughing and gagging and vomiting once more into the vessel.

The smell was unbearable, but watching Kimberly in such a pathetic state, was worse. Tommy took quick sips of air, trying to block the scent from his mind as he reached for a washcloth and ran it under the sink. Once the towel was saturated, he squatted down beside her and brushed away a stray hair from her face, dabbing her forehead with the wet cloth.

She flinched slightly at the sensation of the towel, but Tommy quickly hushed her and held her chin steady with his hand while he slowly wiped her mouth clean. Kimberly fell back onto the floor and braced herself against the bathtub as Tommy continued to bathe the puke away. She swatted his hand absently and groaned slightly, ready to get sick again.

Tommy stood up and returned to the sink, washing the cloth as he watched her through the mirror. He resumed wetting the towel as Kimberly burped and ungracefully spilled over the toilet once more, this time heaving nothing.

Tommy rang out the excess water before spinning around and dropping back down to the floor, ready with the washcloth. As Kimberly's dry heaving finally subsided, she mindlessly flushed the toilet and stumbled backwards, slamming herself into the tub.

"Oww! I think the puke's over . . . "she mumbled, rubbing her now sore tail bone. Tommy managed a snicker before folding the towel in half and lifting it to her face once again. As he slid the cloth down her cheek, Kimberly's hand shot up and grabbed Tommy's hand. He stopped abruptly as their eyes met. Tommy cleared his throat and stood back up, grabbing an empty glass from the counter and filling it with water.

"Here," he offered the glass, averting her gaze as she reached for it. Kimberly eagerly downed the water and uncontrollably slammed the glass down on the ground, wincing at the sound.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked as she began to slide down the side of the tub and onto the floor. Tommy made a move to help her before she began to cry, rolling around on the tile, holding her face and stomach in her hands. He stopped and watched her in horrified curiosity as she continued to flail about, coughing and spitting and hyper ventilating as she continued to weep.

"WhywhathappenedImaterriblepersoneverybodyhatesmewhathaveIdonethisisnotmylifeIneedTrini . . . " Kimberly mumbled and wailed as Tommy continued to observe.

"I'm sorry Tommy . . . oh my god, I am so sorry . . . I don't want you to hate me, please don't hate me, Annie hates me, please don't hate me, I'm sorry, sorry . . . sorry . . . I'm so sorry . . . I'm a bad person . . . I'm a bad mother . . . I'm, I'm . . . s...ss . . . sorry . . . " she stuttered between sharp gasps of air.

Tommy remained frozen, frightened and angry. He couldn't believe he had actually tried to help her, after everything she had said, everything she had done. Here he was, cleaning up her puke after she had practically slapped and clawed him to death. But he knew he couldn't just leave her like this, although he wanted to. She wasn't his responsibility, nor did he ever again want her to be. But far beneath the hurt and betrayal and disillusionment, the smallest fragment of hope that still resided in him, tugged at his conscience.

Resolved, Tommy shook his head and tossed the washcloth into the sink before lowering himself to her level and gently lifting her over his shoulder. He carried her practically limp body through the room and carefully placed her on the bed. Removing her bag and purse and setting them on the chair, Tommy spun back around and noticed the jeans she had managed to put on, had a sickening residue of puke all along the legs.

Tommy rolled his eyes and exhaled an annoyed breath before searching the room for the robe he had carelessly tossed earlier. Finding it, he set it down on the bed and took a seat along the edge, nervously watching Kimberly for any newfound slapping attacks. Convinced she had worn herself out, Tommy scratched the back of his head and decided to grab the washcloth.

Returning from the bathroom, he resumed his seat along the edge of the bed beside Kimberly's passed out body. He proceeded to wipe the vomit off her jeans with the wet towel. He dabbed the denim twice as Kimberly stirred and fluttered her eyes.

"What are you doing?" she grumbled absently, attempting to roll over onto her back. As she squirmed, Tommy's hand became lodged under her. Prying his hand free, he sighed and silently cursed as Kimberly settled into the bed.

Throwing his hands up in defeat, Tommy tossed the washcloth aside and stared pensively. He'd have to take her jeans off.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Tommy slowly reached for the zipper and then unbuttoned the rise of her pants. Kimberly fidgeted for a moment, causing Tommy to quickly withdraw his hands. Steadying his breath once more, Tommy carefully slid one hand underneath Kimberly's lower back and lifted her from the mattress as he pulled the stiff fabric with his other hand.

Once the jeans had made it over her butt, Tommy repositioned himself at the end of the bed and gently began tugging the pant legs down, trying his best to not disrupt Kim as she finally fell deeper into sleep.

Once her jeans were off, Tommy stole a shameful glance at Kimberly's delicate unmentionables before shaking himself from his more primitive thoughts and draped the robe over her body like a blanket.

Retrieving the washcloth, Tommy gathered it and Kimberly's jeans into a trash bag and sealed the contents shut.

Taking the bag with him, Tommy snuck a final glance toward the bed to ensure Kimberly was still asleep before leaving the room, shutting the door behind him.

Downstairs in the lobby, Tommy approached the front desk and flashed the receptionist a bright smile. The young woman returned the gesture and typed one last thing into her computer before tending to him.

"What can I do for you sir?" the young woman asked brightly. Tommy smiled again and lifted the bag.

"My friend got really sick and I was just wondering if the hotel offers a laundry service?" he asked politely.

The young woman nodded and took the bag from him, placing it inside a large plastic bin before logging back into her computer.

"Not a problem, sir. We can have the items washed and pressed by tomorrow morning. What room is your friend in?" she asked.

"612," Tommy told the woman. She nodded and entered the information.

"Kim Hart?" she asked. Tommy nodded and checked his watch anxiously.

"Great. I'll make sure to have maid service return her items to her in the morning," the young woman said.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" she added. Tommy considered the offer for a moment before speaking.

"Yeah, for my friend again . . . she wanted to know if it was possible to go ahead and order breakfast now, for tomorrow? She's _really _sick and she probably won't want to get up any earlier than she needs to," he explained.

The young woman gave him a curious look but nodded and quickly began typing once again.

"I can tell room service to bring her food to her a little later then. Say, eleven? And I'll make sure maid service just leaves her laundry out in the hall, " The receptionist offered.

Tommy gave the woman a grateful smile and nodded appreciatively. "That'd be great, thanks," he said.

"Anything else?" The woman posed again. Tommy shook his head and gave the girl a final smile and wave before heading for the door.

Upon watching the seemingly concerned visitor start to leave, the young woman ventured a question.

"You're leaving your very sick friend alone?" she asked suspiciously.

Tommy stopped and cringed. Turning around, he flashed a bashful grin. "She wanted to be alone, to sleep and whatnot . . . I'll be back tomorrow," he covered quickly.

_Why? Why was he helping her? Why did he have to get involved? And why in God's name was he explaining himself?_

The young woman, seeming satisfied that an ill hotel guest would not be abandoned by her visitor, nodded politely and returned to her computer. Tommy shook his head and headed out the door.

_"I'm a fucking jackass," _he thought to himself before climbing into his jeep and heading back home.

_11:00pm  
Tommy's House _

Exhausted and disbelieving everything that had happened to him in one day, Tommy slowly climbed the steps of his porch and carelessly opened the door. He stopped abruptly when he saw Jason and Annie sitting on the couch, presumably waiting up for him.

Tommy gave them both an embarrassed nod and headed for the kitchen.

"Hey," he said quietly, lowering his head as he passed his daughter. Annie sank into the couch as Jason's focused shifted from Tommy to Annie and back again.

"Hey bro," Jason started, placing a reassuring hand on Annie's knee before rising to follow Tommy into the kitchen.

"How did it go? Did you guys talk?" Jason asked, leaning against the archway. Tommy snickered and opened the fridge, searching for the now cold dinner he'd prepared earlier.

"You got Annie out of her room," Tommy replied, avoiding Jason's previous question. Jason nodded and cleared his throat.

"She's still pretty shaken, bro. She thought you already knew about the abor– " Jason started to say before Tommy shot him a death glare.

"About_ everything_," Jason recovered. "When I explained to her that you didn't know, she was a little relieved, but she still thinks you hate her. She thinks she's a burden. And she's furious with Kim. I mean, they've already been having problems, but I don't think Annie's going to forgive Kim for this," Jason explained quietly, glancing over his shoulder to check on the young girl.

Tommy set the cold dish down on the table and folded the foil back before grabbing a fork and taking a seat. Stirring the contents for a moment to avoid Jason's face.

"That makes two of us," Tommy shot back, shoveling the loaded fork of pasta into his mouth. Jason gave Annie a smile and a nod before returning his attention back to Tommy, stepping further into the kitchen as he spoke.

"Look, Tommy . . . Annie needs to know that you want her around. She's really fragile right now and the people she can trust are suddenly few and far between," Jason added.

Tommy dropped his fork and shot Jason an exasperated look. "I can't decide this right now, Jase! I already have a life, okay? I don't want to deal with this right now!"

"Well, suck it up, bro! Annie's a child! She's _your_ child! She can't decide these things for herself and she shouldn't have to! Her whole life has been turned upside down!" Jason shot back, taking a challenging step forward.

Tommy stood up and slammed his hand on the table.

"What about _me_, Jase? I find out I have a daughter, and _Kim's_ the mother, of all people . . . and then I find out that everything I've thought was true for 12 years, is a _lie?_ What about that, Jase? You know, my life was fine before you showed up . . . a boring, uncomplicated life. Now? Now I'm washing puke off of Kimberly's face and getting punched and yelling at everyone! Yeah . . . _Annie's life has been turned way upside down, bro. I should just suck it up . . . nothing's happening to me!" _Tommy shouted back, gritting his teeth as the last sarcastic comment flew from his mouth.

Jason shook his head as Annie's hurried footsteps ran up the stairs and her bedroom door was slammed shut once again. Jason threw his hands up in defeat and gave Tommy a furtive glance.

"It took me two hours to get her out of that room," Jason muttered under his breath. Tommy rolled his eyes.

"You know, why don't you just take Annie? You're practically her father, anyway . . . " Tommy suggested bitterly.

Jason gave Tommy a disgusted face.

"What's your problem, man? Annie didn't do anything wrong. You wanna be pissed at me and Kim? Fine. But don't take this out on Annie! She doesn't deserve that!" Jason reprimanded.

"Look, bro . . . I feel just as hopeless as she does, okay? It was my first time to hear all these things too, ya know!" Tommy shot back.

"But you're an adult, Tommy! You have the luxury of age to adjust and move things around. Annie doesn't. She has to rely on her parents, the two people she _now_ thinks didn't even want her in the first place!" Jason pleaded.

Tommy sighed and sank back into his chair. Burying his face in his hands, began to cry. Extremely rare was it to actually see his best friend cry, so Jason stood motionless and simply waited.

As Tommy's tears subsided, Jason took a seat across from him, silently asking permission to speak again.

"What happened at the hotel? You said what? You were washing puke off of Kimberly?" Jason asked awkwardly, unsure exactly what Tommy had described earlier. Tommy nodded and managed a bitter laugh.

"She drank too much. When I got there, she was tripping over her feet and stumbling around. I almost left but then she tried to fix another drink so I . . . kind of stole the bottles from her," Tommy admitted bashfully.

Jason was slightly amused to hear Tommy's bizarrely valiant effort.

"When I took the bottles away, she started hitting me and ran out of the room. So I chased her down and dragged her back."

"You're such a caveman, bro," Jason chimed in. Tommy released a tiny chuckle before continuing on.

"Well, actually . . . I was so frustrated that I kind of . . . threw her into the bathtub and shot her with cold water," Tommy confessed.

Jason couldn't help but laugh. Inappropriate or not, the picture of Kimberly slung over Tommy's shoulder and then being tossed like a rag doll, was pretty amusing.

"Anyway . . . I waited for a bit, just to make sure she wasn't going to make another run for it . . . then she started getting sick so I ended up washing her and helped her to the bed," Tommy concluded casually.

Jason's face was stunned. "You're a bet–"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm a better man than you," Tommy cut him off, shaking his head.

"I didn't feel like a better man when I was staring at her in her underwear though," Tommy muttered, playing with the cold pasta.

Jason's eyes widened in curiosity. "You saw her in her underwear?"

Tommy gave Jason an incredulous look. "What are you, twelve? It's not like anything happened. She had puke all over her jeans so I took them off for her," Tommy chided.

Jason's face was unrelenting. He grinned mischievously and stifled a laugh.

"You undressed her?" Jason prodded.

"Yes, Jason. I stripped her pants off cause they were gooey and crusty. I don't know about you, but that gets _me_ hot!" Tommy snapped. Jason's misplaced enthusiasm was starting to irritate him.

"You still care about her!" Jason said suddenly, shooting up out of his seat.

Tommy's annoyed expression turned to confusion. "What? What are you talking about?"

"Tell me . . . _Thomas_ . . . what did you do with the pants?" Jason asked wryly. Tommy rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"I brought them to guest services to see if they could wash them," he explained simply, not understanding the meaning of Jason's inquiry.

Jason snapped his fingers and smiled. "You still love her!"

Tommy stood up and stared his friend down, pointing a stern finger in his face. "She got sick, and I just did the courteous thing. That's all!"

"You didn't have to do that, bro," Jason reminded him.

"I'm not just gonna leave while she's puking! She was wasted, Jase! Besides, you were the one who told me to go over there!" Tommy defended.

"Tommy, just admit that you still care about her! I'm not judging you!" Jason pleaded.

Tommy aggressively pushed his chair in and started to wrap the leftovers back in their foil.

"You think I'd care if you were judging me? Look, I'll admit . . . it was really scary to see her like that, and I got panicked. So I helped her, big deal. But I am not still in love with her!"

"Oh yeah? What were you thinking when you saw her in practically nothing?" Jason challenged.

"Well I'm not blind, bro. What does any guy think when they see a girl in her bra and panties?" Tommy shot back.

Jason snickered and crossed his arms. "Uh, a girl who's just puked all over me? I don't care if she got on her knees, dude. I'd be grossed out and turned off."

Tommy rolled his eyes once again. "Well, you said it bro. I'm a better man than you," Tommy jibed, returning the food to the fridge and starting the dishwasher.

Jason crossed over to his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder, interrupting his task.

"If there's a part of you that still loves her . . . you need to tell her," Jason said, softening his tone. Tommy threw his head back and sighed.

"Jason, I don't. I don't love her," Tommy insisted, staring back at his friend.

"What about Annie?" Jason asked.

"Of course I love Annie. She's my daughter . . . and I'll do whatever I have to do to make sure she knows that," Tommy assured him.

Jason shook his head and grabbed Tommy by both shoulders, making him face him directly.

"No. I mean, _what about Annie?_ She needs a family, bro. You guys were _so close _tonight. All three of you in the same room, together. It was incredible. You guys looked like family."

Tommy shook his head and pulled away from Jason's grasp. "And see how great _that_ turned out?" he snickered.

"Everything's out in the open now, bro. All the pieces are here! You just need to put them together!" Jason pleaded.

"I'll take care of Annie, Jase. But I don't have to take care of Kim. She's made sure of that," Tommy told him, grabbing a towel and wiping down the counter.

"If Kimberly came to you and wanted to start over, with you and Annie . . . what would you say?" Jason asked desperately.

Tommy stopped and considered the question before folding the towel and laying it over the edge of the sink.

"I'd tell her to go fuck herself," Tommy snapped.

"Tommy," Jason began to protest before Tommy cut him off.

"I wouldn't say anything, Jason! What do you want me to say? Tell her I forgive her and I love her and I always have? Tell her that we can make this work even though she lied to me and betrayed me? That's . . . that's ridiculous, Jase! I've already got twelve years to make up for with Annie! TWELVE YEARS, JASE! Do you how far behind I feel? Knowing Annie's favorite color and swapping Ani Difranco cd's isn't going to help me raise my daughter!"

"It's a start, bro," Jason whimpered. "You and Kim have a history, man. You can help each other raise Annie!"

"A history that's bullshit. Look, I know I can't avoid seeing Kim, especially when I get shared custody of Annie. But my dream of happiness with Kim is over, got it?" Tommy demanded, brushing passed Jason and into the living room.

Following him and resting on the arm of the couch, Jason continued to probe Tommy with his inquisition. Testing the limits of humor and cheek during inopportune moments.

"So . . . you've dreamed about Kim?" Jason ventured. Tommy collapsed onto the couch and shoved his foot at Jason's leg.

"What is your deal, Jase?" Tommy asked before grabbing the remote and turning on the television.

"You said you had a dream of happiness . . . what was it like?" Jason prodded further. Tommy sat up and clicked the remote to off. Aggressively setting the remote on the coffee table and glaring back at his friend.

"Yes, Jason. Once upon a time, I had this crazy idea that Kim and I would get married and have kids someday. There? You happy?" Tommy huffed and returned to his sulking position on the couch.

"Well, you got half of your dream," Jason mused. Tommy shot him an unimpressed look, to which Jason merely shrugged and slid onto the couch, forcing Tommy to move from his sprawled position and straighten up.

"Tommy, I'm only pestering you cause I don't believe that you're over her. It's okay if you're not, bro. She's the love of your life. I get that. I just don't want to see you miss your chance to make things right, ya know? Believe me, I'd give anything to be able to go back in time . . . and at least _tell _Trini how I felt about her," Jason confessed solemnly.

Tommy snickered and rested a tender hand on Jason's shoulder.

"Well, Trini didn't spend twelve years lying to you. And Kim _was_, the love of my life. Not _is_ . . . but _was_. And it shouldn't be my job to fix anything. I didn't do anything wrong," Tommy explained as calmly as he could.

"But Kim wants to fix things! She wouldn't have come down here if she didn't!" Jason whined.

"She only came down here to get Annie back. Our fight was incidental," Tommy reminded him.

"No . . . your fight was _inevitable._ And I gotta say, I was pleasantly surprised," Jason corrected him.

Tommy gave Jason an incredulous look and reared back, disbelieving his friend's choice of words.

"I mean, it didn't end well . . . and things were said that were devastating, but I never actually thought you'd yell at her. I expected Kim to do some screaming . . . that's her fighting style. But you, bro? I thought you'd just sit there silently and ya know . . . stew," Jason snickered.

Tommy was currently validating Jason's theory by silently fuming as he listened to his friend.

"Well, I guess some things are worth yelling about," Tommy said through gritted teeth.

"But nothing you said to each other was permanent. This can be fixed! But only if you're willing to fix it!" Jason encouraged.

"And what if I'm not?" Tommy posed as Jason shook his head in disappointment. Tommy nudged Jason and glared at him.

"No. You know what? I shouldn't have to answer that. I'm not the one who needs to fix anything!" Tommy rationalized, shaking his head as he sat back in his seat. Jason turned to him slowly.

"But if–" Jason started to contest before Tommy cut him off, sitting up rigidly on the couch.

"You know, you have no idea what I'm going through, man. You think you regret not telling Trini that you loved her? Try telling the woman you love that you _do _in fact, love her, and having all of that destroyed! You have no idea what it feels like to not trust someone you thought loved you back. I can handle Kim breaking up with me and meeting someone else. Cause at least we would have left our relationship knowing that what we had was good. But every time I turn around, there's another lie! Something else that I was too stupid to realize! And you! You're lucky I'm even talking to you! I accept the fact that you are friends with Kimberly, and I wouldn't want to be in your position of middle man for anything in the world. But you kept plenty from me that you knew would only hurt me and I still forgave you for it. But I can't just forget what's happened to me today and call a truce! Don't you get it, man? Up until today, I still thought about Kim, wondering where she was, if she and that little girl I saw her with were doing all right. Then I find out that she's my daughter! I HAVE A DAUGHTER, JASON! AND KIM'S THE MOTHER! This wasn't supposed to happen like this. I should have been there these last 12 years. Kim and I should have gotten married, and we should have been happy. I should have been there when she gave birth to Annie . . . I would love nothing more than to be able to sit down with my wife and my daughter and have dinner and go to carnivals and laugh and ask how school is going . . . but Kim took that away from me . . . how am I supposed to just forgive her for that?"

Tommy was shaking as his final words fell from his mouth. His eyes were red and watery. His fists were clenched at his sides. His shoulders were tense as he tried desperately to stifle his brimming tears.

Jason, for once, said nothing. Time and distance were the only things that would help Tommy forgive Kimberly, and Jason realized that now. His idealistic attempts to reunite them were naive and premature and he silently cursed himself for his own impatience.

After a long moment of silence, Tommy sighed and regained his composure before speaking again.

"Kim's probably going to be hung over tomorrow. That'll give me sometime to talk to Annie before she has to leave," Tommy said tightly.

Jason nodded. "And I'll call the tow truck to get Kim's car over to the mechanic in the morning."

Tommy nodded and turned on his heels toward the stairs, lifelessly climbing each one until he reached his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Jason shook his head and padded off to his own bedroom, exhausted and dreading tomorrow.

_**AN: Wow. The hits just keep coming, don't they? And Tommy, what a monologue! So, Kim will get her car fixed and then head home with Annie. What will happen when Tommy receives shared custody of their daughter? Will Jason's hopeful plans ever see the light again? Find out next time! Please Read and Review!**_


	15. The Beginning

_**AN: HOLY CRAP! Well, if this story still has any readers left . . . here's the next chapter. I can't apologize enough for my disappearance. I've been in the process of selling my house . . . and it's left me with no internet for a chunk of time and definitely exhausted. Anyway, I've been plotting and rewriting all week since I got my internet back, so here you go. Enjoy and I hope you're all still invested. Go back and read it from the top if you need a real reminder. Sorry once again. Now, on with the story!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 15  
The Beginning**_

_September 5__th__, 2007  
Tommy's House  
11:30am_

"Tommy!" Jason's voice rang out as entered his new home.

He had spent a solid three hours of his morning so far coordinating Kimberly's departure. He called the tow truck at eight, which finally arrived at nine and hauled Kim's car off to the mechanic in town, to which Jason followed. Once he arrived at the auto shop, the mechanic confirmed a dead battery and possibly a broken timing belt. Jason had a vague understanding of what it all meant, but nodded along as the man finished assessing the vehicle.

"Tommy, I'm back! Hello?" Jason called out again, wandering through the house.

"We're up here, Jase!" Tommy finally returned. Jason nodded to himself and slowly ascended the stairs toward Annie's room. After receiving permission to enter, Jason carefully took a step just beyond the threshold.

"Hey there," Jason said quietly. Tommy nodded as Annie wiped her face. She and Tommy had clearly talked, and she had visibly been crying. Although, whatever had been discussed, she seemed finally at ease.

"Hey Uncle Jase," Annie said finally. Jason gave the girl a smile and took a seat beside her on the bed, wrapping a comparatively large arm around her small shoulders.

"We had a good talk," Annie explained to him, casting a sad glance at Tommy.

"Yeah, we did," Tommy agreed. Jason continued to nod before shifting back to present matters.

"So, what happens now?" he asked. Annie shrugged as Tommy shook his head and stood up.

"Annie can't stay while I still don't have custody. She's gotta go back home with Kim," Tommy said plainly.

Annie nodded, "I'm ready to go back now. I understand. Mom and I have things to work out."

Jason smiled and hugged the girl once more. "You're such a good kid," he whispered.

Annie giggled as Tommy smiled sadly. "What's the news with the car?" he asked suddenly, breaking the tender moment.

Jason and Annie parted before standing up. "We got lucky. The shop didn't have to order the timing belt. The car should be ready to go by one and then I'll go pick up Kim," Jason explained.

Tommy nodded, thinking to himself. "Why don't we get some food? That'll kill some time before we have to say good bye," he suggested, heading for the door.

"I'm starving," Annie said greedily as Jason laughed. "I'll bet, princess," he teased, pushing her out of the room and shutting the door behind them.

"Have you talked to Kim at all?" Tommy asked as the trio descended the stairs.

"Nope, not yet. I'm guessing she's still asleep . . . you know . . . " Jason said, trailing off. Annie gave him a suspicious look as Tommy nodded dismissively.

Jason stood by the front door, holding it open as Tommy emerged from the kitchen, having grabbed his wallet and keys. Annie stood between the two men in the center of the living room, anxiously awaiting an answer to Jason's previous statement.

"Is anybody gonna tell me what the hell that meant?" Annie suddenly blurted out. Tommy stopped dead in his tracks and gave Annie a stern look.

"Whoa . . . watch your mouth, young lady," Jason said first. Tommy held his hand up to stop Jason from continuing before returning his attention to Annie.

"Your mom had a rough night and today's not gonna be any easier. We're letting her sleep," Tommy said coldly.

Annie placed her hands on her hips and snickered. "Yeah right."

Tommy snickered back and placed his hands on his hips in mockery. " Fine. I'll tell you when you're older," he quipped.

Jason couldn't help but chuckle as Annie stomped her foot and shook her head. Jason continued to laugh under his breath as Annie begrudgingly swept passed him and out the door. Tommy followed and rolled his eyes as Jason shut the door behind them once again.

_Reefside Deli  
12:00pm_

"The carnival was more impressive," Annie said as the trio made their way into the tiny restaurant. Jason grabbed Annie by the waist and threw her over his shoulder as Tommy chuckled. Annie feigned protest and playfully slapped Jason's back before a bizarre buzzing sound forced him to release her.

As Annie set her feet on the ground and smoothed her hair back into place, Jason hurriedly grabbed his cell phone.

Tommy escorted Annie toward a booth as Jason answered the call.

"Hello?" Jason asked. Tommy stopped in front of him to listen. Jason covered the mouthpiece and gave a subtle motion toward Annie.

"It's Kim," he whispered hurriedly before returning back to the phone. Tommy gave a concerned look as Jason continued.

"Good morning sunshine," he squeaked.

"Hmph. Oh, that's not _at all_ inappropriate," Kim choked out sarcastically.

"How you feeling?" Jason asked brightly.

Kimberly groaned slightly before responding. "Not so hot. I was a little too fond of the mini bar last night," she muttered.

"So I heard," he teased, giving Tommy a knowing look before turning back to the phone.

"Tommy came by my room. I guess he told you," Kim said quietly. Jason confirmed her question with a mumble while Tommy stood before him nervously, stealing glances over his shoulder every so often to check on Annie.

"Can I talk to Annie?" Kim asked. Jason's eyes widened and he gave Tommy a concerned look.

"She wants to talk to Annie," he said quickly, holding the phone away once again.

Tommy shrugged and took off toward the booth that Annie had settled in alone.

"Um, we're actually just about to sit down and have lunch but–"

"What? Where are you?" Kim shrieked. Jason winced as he pulled the phone from his ear.

" We're at the Reefside Deli. Listen, Kim . . . Tommy just went to get Annie but we're about to have lunch and your car will be done at one so as soon as we're done here, I'll go and get–"

"Where's my car?" Kimberly asked rudely.

"Uh, you're welcome," Jason snapped back.

"Just . . . thank you. I just . . . wanted to hear Annie's voice. It's gonna be a long car ride home," Kimberly said, her voice softening.

"Annie and Tommy talked this morning. I think he straightened her out," Jason offered.

"Did he? Well, please inform Mr. Oliver that if he wishes to tell my daughter anything else, he's going to need to run it by me first," Kimberly snapped, her tone changing instantly.

"Kim, don't be stupid. Annie had a lot of questions that only Tommy had the answers to," he explained softly, realizing his poor choice of words the instant he spoke them.

"Only Tommy had the answers to? What about me? Don't I get the chance to explain myself?" Kimberly screamed over the phone.

Jason was wincing as Tommy returned to the entrance, Annie in tow. Jason gave Tommy a quick glance and shook his head, indicating that the present moment was not the best time to allow Annie and Kimberly correspondence.

Tommy nodded knowingly and sighed, leading him and his daughter back toward their seat.

"Now what?" Annie asked annoyed. Tommy shook his head and squeezed Annie by the shoulder.

"It's not always gonna be like this," he assured her.

Back in the lobby, Jason was still receiving an earful from Kim, although admittedly holding his own.

"Look, all I meant was . . . you BOTH owed her explanations for what was said last night. Tommy just got there first," he whined, running a tense hand through his hair as he paced by the door.

"I know I have a lot of explaining to do, Jase! I just hate this! I'm stuck in my room until I can apologize to her in person! This is driving me crazy!" Kimberly cried.

"What about Tommy?" Jason asked suddenly, catching Kimberly off guard.

"What do you mean, 'What about Tommy'?" She asked incredulously.

"I think you two need to come to some sort of agreement before you leave," Jason instructed.

"I think we've said enough this weekend. I've already prepared myself for hiring a circus to figure out all these custody deals. Isn't that enough? As soon as that's dealt with, he'll get to see Annie and he won't have to speak to me ever again."

"Kim, I don't think he wants that," Jason admonished softly.

"Whatever, Jase. I can be civil, but I doubt we'll be on any more than necessary speaking terms for quite awhile," she pouted.

"You're gonna have to see each other when you make visiting arrangements for Annie. Don't let the next time you see each other be in court," Jason offered.

"I don't want to, Jason. I just want to get the car, get my daughter and leave."

"All right. I'll see in about an hour," Jason said finally, convinced that Kimberly was too fragile to consider any sort of reconciliation at the moment.

"Fine, see you then. Thank you again for taking care of all of this. I love you, Jase," Kimberly said meekly, her mind now flooded with thoughts.

"I love you too, sis, bye." And with that, he snapped his phone shut and proceeded to head toward the booth where Tommy and Annie patiently awaited.

_Tommy's House  
1:30pm_

The tension was palpable, albeit cooler than it had been previously as Kimberly pulled up behind Jason in her recently amended vehicle.

Jason practically flew out of his truck, hoping to literally be the middle man in case either of his best friends decided to add any last minute surprises to their parting.

Surprisingly, Kimberly didn't even approach the house this time, but quietly began transferring her belongings from Jason's truck to her own car. Jason stumbled backwards as he stepped up toward the porch.

"I'll go get Annie," he said slightly puzzled. For as much as he didn't want another fight to ensue, Kimberly's apparent serenity was still bizarre. Kimberly gave a small nod and a smile to Jason before returning to her task.

Jason shook his head in amazement as he entered the house, only to find Annie struggling with her cumbersome duffel bag she had managed to stealthily sneak around with.

"Hey, hey, hey. I got that," Jason told her, running toward the stairs and grabbing the bag with one arm. Annie's weight shifted without the bag and she stumbled slightly, only to sigh and give Jason a sheepish grin.

"Thanks. I thought I could manage it myself," she admitted.

"Where's your dad?" Jason asked as he automatically starting scanning the house as though Tommy would magically appear just by mentioning him.

"He said he had to grab a couple of things before I took off," Annie said casually.

"He didn't help you with this thing?" Jason scowled, indicating the duffel bag which was now proving it's true density.

"I told her to wait for me," Tommy said suddenly, coming up from his basement holding a small folder.

Jason gave Tommy a suspicious look, knowing the basement only to have held Tommy's old Ranger artifacts.

"I don't have a printer on my computer upstairs," he explained to Jason, silently acknowledging Jason's suspicious glance.

Jason nodded before Annie interrupted them. "Is mom here?" she asked softly. Jason regarded her for a second and smiled.

"Yep, she's outside. You got everything you need?" he asked the girl as she nodded dutifully.

"Well, let's get going. I'll carry your bag to the car," Jason told her as he escorted her toward the door.

"I'll be back in a minute," Jason told Tommy as he held the door open for Annie.

Tommy stood silent for a moment as he watched Kimberly and Annie greet one another awkwardly.

"I'm coming too," Tommy said in a daze. Jason furrowed his brow in concern but nodded as he made his way down the porch and out to the driveway.

Outside, Kimberly offered her arms as Jason approached her with Annie's bag.

"It's too heavy, I'll get it," Jason explained. Kimberly gave him a dirty look before running to his side before the trunk.

"Unless you plan on coming back with me, I'm gonna have to lift it myself anyway to get it out of the car. Let me do it!" Kimberly insisted.

Jason conceded and let the bag drop to the ground. "Fine. Good luck with that," he scoffed playfully.

Kimberly rolled her eyes and squatted, preparing to lift the bag. Jason watched for a brief moment before striding back over to Annie and wrapped her in a hug.

"Let your mom talk, okay? It's really important for you to hear everything she has to say," Jason whispered to the girl. Annie nodded as Jason continued to embrace her.

Suddenly, a loud thud was heard amidst a whimpering Kimberly. Tommy instinctually made a move toward Kim before Jason and Annie pulled apart and ran toward her. Stopping Tommy in his tracks.

"Okay! I need help," Kimberly admitted. Jason laughed as he deftly lifted the sack and set it in the trunk.

"Are you gonna need help getting this out of the car?" Jason asked her seriously. Kimberly shook her head.

"No. I'll be fine. We'll take it in together," Kimberly told him, casting a hopeful glance toward Annie, who simply nodded.

"Well . . . I guess that's it then," Kimberly added after a moment of silence. She held out her arms for Jason before the two embraced. Annie looked back to the porch and slowly approached Tommy.

"Bye dad," she said timidly. Tommy shook off his malaise and looked down at the girl and smiled.

"Bye Annie," he returned. The father and daughter gave each other a quick but desperate hug before Kimberly spoke up nervously.

"Umm, Annie? You ready?" The petite woman called out. Annie released Tommy and turned to regard her mother.

Tommy and Kimberly stood in their respective places, staring each other down anxiously.

"Give this to your mom for me, okay?" Tommy instructed Annie. The girl nodded and gave him a wave before treading over to the car.

Jason gave Kim another quick peck on the cheek and Annie a wave before stepping out of the way, leaving Kimberly and Tommy alone in one another's eye line once again.

Finally, Kimberly offered a small smile and a nod, which Tommy returned with his own. Jason stepped up beside Tommy and clapped a hand on his shoulder before waving the women off once more and heading into the house.

Kimberly bit her lip and slid into her car, shutting the door beside her. Tommy remained still, watching Annie deliver the folder to Kim as they sat in the car, ready to leave.

Kimberly smoothed the folder with her hand and looked up, aware of Tommy's gaze still on her and their daughter.

She bore a sad and guilty smile before starting the ignition and pulling out of the drive. Tommy continued to stare as Kimberly's tiny sedan became smaller and smaller until it was completely out of sight.

"What was in the folder, bro?" Jason's voice suddenly rang out, breaking Tommy of his thoughts. Tommy spun around and sighed at his best friend leaning in the doorway.

"Some stuff for Kim's lawyer," Tommy explained as he made his way toward the door. Jason nodded as Tommy dragged his feet back into the house, shutting the door behind them.

_**AN: Not a long chapter after a terribly long absence, but the next one should be up shortly. A necessary bridge to the upcoming chapter that's sure to be an exciting one! WHEW! So, Kim and Tommy are really going through with this. An awkward custody battle and the looming possibility of reconciliation (if Jason has anything to do with it) hangs in the air. What will happen? Do our favorite Rangers still love each other? What was really in that folder? Find out next time! Please Read and Review!**_


	16. A Bump in the Road

_**AN: Two months have passed, Tommy and Kimberly now share custody of Annie. How does this work for everyone involved? And what has changed or developed in these past two months? Find out below! Please Read and Review! Enjoy.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing**_.

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 16  
A Bump in the Road**_

_November 24__th__, 2007  
Tommy's House  
1:00pm_

The custody hearing had gone better than anyone could have imagined. Tommy hired a lawyer from Los Angeles, and commuted to the city for about a week while Jason looked after the house and a substitute filled any classes he missed. The process took about three weeks to finalize, having made arrangements immediately after Kimberly and Annie had returned home.

The judge was extremely compassionate, although skeptical at first. The entire situation was not unheard of, just bizarre. Emotions were high and dramatic when it came time for Tommy and Kimberly to explain their current circumstances with one another, but the pair remained humble and silently agreed to bite their tongues in Annie's best interest.

Fortunately, the judge had no problem with shared custody, having received a testimony from Annie herself, who was as convicted as a 13-year-old could be about wanting to see both her parents, convincing the judge that both households were adept to raising the young girl.

The only stipulation made, was for Tommy and Kimberly to enter a counseling center together. Which they both protested at first, Tommy claiming that he couldn't take any more time away from his work if he was to sustain a comfortable living for himself and Annie. Kimberly insisted that her relationship with Tommy was merely estranged, but not futile. Nevertheless, the judge overruled their laments and sentenced a month's worth of counseling sessions, to be held at Bay Harbor's Marriage Re-Coop Center. An establishment that was not only halfway between Reefside and L.A. (for their convenience) but a reputable landmark for couples who had found themselves in situations that strayed from the norm of "regular matrimonial disputes".

Despite not being married, the sessions did allow (and at times, forced) Kimberly and Tommy to speak to each other about everything that had occurred. The ramifications for Annie if they continued to avoid one another, the consequences of their previous actions enforcing bad habits in their current ones, and so on. The counseling didn't begin to make Tommy and Kimberly any closer to admitting how they felt about one another, but it did help to heal the wounds.

Kimberly and Tommy met with the judge about a month later, explaining how the counseling had helped them better cope with their situation. Satisfied, the judge released the psychiatric lien on the couple and bid them farewell.

Now, it was all up to them. Reefside and Los Angeles were on the same school schedule, which made it mighty convenient for Annie to see Tommy on breaks and holidays. Annie stayed with Kim during the week and Tommy saw her on the weekends. It wasn't ideal, but it was the best they could do. With the help of Jason, Tommy had added a small studio to the side of his ranch house. Annie stayed there, having moved half of her things to the space amidst the now frequent trips to Reefside. It was currently fall break, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Kim and Tommy had agreed to let Annie stay with Tommy over this holiday, in exchange for Christmas.

Tommy and Jason ran out of the house, hearing Annie's excited squeals from the driveway as her and Kim pulled up. Jason ran to Kim while Tommy made a beeline for Annie. The young girl (who had grown up already in two months) sprung into her father's arms as he spun her around.

Jason and Kim hugged and exchanged a small kiss on the cheek before Jason helped Kim unload the car.

Once Annie and Tommy had parted, Jason tossed Annie's backpack to her and grabbed her in a playful headlock as they stumbled up the porch and into the house. Tommy and Kim looked on, laughing.

As their polite chuckle subsided, Tommy and Kim exchanged an awkward handshake.

"Hi," Tommy said nervously. He was still unsure how to treat her, after everything they had admitted.

"Hey," she returned quietly, brushing a hair out of her face.

"So . . . umm . . . Annie's gonna be fine this weekend. Jason's got this new technique for cooking the turkey that he's insisting we try . . . and Annie's almost got a complete room now with all the stuff she keeps bringing," Tommy explained clumsily.

Kimberly bit her lip and smiled. "Yeah, her room's practically empty back at my place," Kimberly said bashfully.

"If you want, I can tell her to bring some stuff back–" he started to say worriedly before Kimberly hushed him.

"No, Tommy. It's fine. You get to see how the other half live. Having a girl in the house, with all of her shit everywhere," Kimberly laughed bitterly.

Tommy snickered. "Yeah . . . thankfully she's the only one," he said absently. Kimberly stopped at his comment, trying to process all it's implications.

"Well, I guess I'll just wait out here until she's done in there so I can say goodbye," Kimberly said, still thrown by Tommy's flippant statement.

"What are your plans for Thanksgiving?" Tommy asked her, following her around to the front of the car.

Kimberly shrugged and leaned on the hood. "I don't know . . . Aisha and Zack called me about a month ago but, who knows now!" She said dismissively.

"Well, I'm sure Jason has no idea how much food he's really making . . . if you'd like–"

"No, Tommy. I actually have dinner plans with a friend of mine. This guy from work, I don't know . . . he's nice and we've been seeing each other casually for the past month but . . . "

"If you'd like, I could send Annie back with some leftovers. That's all I was gonna say," Tommy finished bewildered. _Had Kimberly thought he was inviting to join him for Thanksgiving?_

Kimberly's eyes widened in horror at her ridiculous reaction. Biting her lip, she lowered her head and silently cursed herself.

"Sorry. Umm, yeah. Leftovers would be lovely, thank you. Jason probably doesn't know how much food he's cooking," She covered quickly, giving Tommy an embarrassed smile.

"I'm sorry if I confused you. I didn't mean to imply that you should stay . . . I mean, not that I wouldn't invite you . . . but things are still . . . you know, between us . . . and this is my time with . . . you know what? Sorry. I'll shut up. Sorry . . . " Tommy rambled and sputtered, much to Kimberly's satisfaction.

Releasing a much needed laugh. "This is still really weird, huh?" She asked finally. Tommy nodded and joined in the laughter.

"Yeah. I mean, I think that therapy helped me not be angry any more but it's kind of like . . . where do we go from here? Ya know?" He offered, leaning against the hood beside her, hands stuffed in his pockets.

Kimberly nodded as the two sat in silence for a moment.

"So, who's this guy?" Tommy asked after a moment. Kimberly's face dropped and she turned to Tommy.

"I don't think it's appropriate to discuss with you. I'm sorry, is that mean?" She asked sincerely. Tommy pursed his lips in thought and nodded.

"No. You're right. Sorry. I just hadn't heard about this guy before and you mentioned him suddenly . . . just being nosy. Sorry," he recounted, much to Kimberly's relief.

"No problem, I guess I got flustered when I thought you were inviting me for dinner. I just wanted to make sure you understood why I couldn't," she added as Tommy nodded his understanding.

"Did you ever open the–" he began to ask before being interrupted by a screaming Jason and Annie

"Someone needs to control their daughter!" Jason yelled out, falling to his knees before his friends, worn out and out of breath.

Kimberly glared at Jason as Tommy laughed and extended his hand to help Jason off the ground. Jason obliged and dusted himself off, only to come face to face with Kimberly's stern expression.

"You're a bad influence, Jason Lee," Kimberly quipped. Tommy's eyes widened as a wry smile crept onto his face. Jason gawked at Kimberly with an offended expression.

"Are you middle naming me, Kimberly Ann?" Jason shot back, much to Annie and Tommy's delight.

Kimberly straightened herself up and stared Jason down. The pseudo siblings were challenging each other, a past time that hadn't been practiced in a long while.

"I could last name you if you'd prefer," Kim offered slyly. Jason's expression became annoyed.

"Jason Lee . . . SCOOT!" She blurted out, doubling over into a fit of giggles before Jason caught her and heaved her over his shoulder.

"You Hart women are tiny . . . It's like carrying a bag of apples!" Jason mused as he skipped around the driveway with Kimberly still in tow.

"PUT ME DOWN!" Kimberly shouted in mock protest.

"THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS! YOU GET ANNIE ALL FLUSTERED AND SHE THINKS THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR IS ACCEPTABLE! PUT ME DOWN!" Kimberly continued to shout at deaf ears. Jason wasn't having it, and Annie and Tommy were no help. They were enjoying watching Kimberly's aloof exterior soften.

"GO UNCLE JASE!" Annie cried out as Kimberly lifted her head and shook a stern finger at her daughter.

"Don't encourage him!" Kimberly brayed as Jason's chaotic traversing caused her to bump against his back.

"APOLOGIZE FOR CALLING ME SCOOT!" Jason commanded as he started spinning around in a circle.

"APOLOGIZE FOR BEING A BAD INFLUENCE ON MY DAUGHTER!" Kimberly yelled back.

"Explain to me how rough housing is a bad influence?" Jason asked in mock interest, slowing down his gait. Kimberly groaned and attempted to claw her way off of him before he resumed his quick pace once again.

"SHE'S A GIRL! GIRLS DON'T LIKE THIS! PUT ME DOWN!"

"OH? SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT GIRLS CAN'T _HANDLE_ ROUGH HOUSING?" Jason mused, giving Tommy and Annie a wink as he made another lap in front of them with Kim still clutching his back.

"OH DON'T YOU EVEN USE THAT LAME EXCUSE, SCOOTER!"

"Kim, you really gotta come up with a new insult. I mean, it was just a typo!" Jason said, heaving as began to lose momentum.

"Oh, why are you slowing down Jase? Tired? Damn, I was just starting to enjoy the ride!" Kimberly teased, sending Annie and Tommy into another fit of laughter.

Jason smirked and pulled Kim off of his shoulder and into his arms. "Just getting ready for the hand off," he said.

Kimberly's eyes widened in horror as Jason began his release. "Tommy, GO LONG!"

Annie sprinted out of the way as Tommy's terrified expression mirrored Kim's. A long shriek sounded with Jason and Annie's laughter as Kimberly collapsed into Tommy, sending them both to the ground with a thud.

"Where were you, bro? I sent her straight to you!" Jason teased as he and Annie ran toward them to help them up.

Kimberly smacked Jason's hand away as she stumbled to prop herself back up. Tommy, just remained on the ground for a moment, unsure of what had just happened.

"You okay, bro?" Jason asked, standing over Tommy's stunned expression. Annie was helping Kimberly dust herself off before Jason called back to her.

"I love you, sis," he cooed sweetly. Kimberly stuck her tongue out and growled under her breath.

"Thanks a lot Jase, I have a date tonight," she said through gritted teeth as she brushed passed him and started smoothing her hair out in her side view mirror.

Tommy's eyes widened as he was brought out of his daze at Kimberly's words. Jason noticed and offered his hand to help pull him up. Jason gave Tommy a shrug and returned his focus back to Kim.

"A date, huh? Well, why didn't you say so? I wouldn't have messed you up so bad," Jason snickered, leaning into the car as he spoke.

Kimberly readjusted the mirror and rolled her eyes at him. "You're such a brat," she scolded.

"Annie, you're holding out on me! I want the juicy gossip about your mom's new boy toy as soon as she leaves!" Jason laughed.

Kimberly shook her head and took Annie by the shoulders, facing her directly. "Don't let them boss you around, okay? I know they're boys and they're big and strong and whatever, but they're _just boys,_" Kimberly said, decidedly giving Jason an annoyed glare as she did so.

Jason waved his hand dismissively as Tommy stood stoic, both now standing in front of the porch.

"I'll call you tomorrow to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, okay?" Kim told Annie, who nodded and gave her mother a quick hug before pulling away.

"And I'll tell Mason you said hello," Kim added. Annie again nodded before returning a kiss on the cheek to Kim and waving good bye.

Jason looked at Tommy and mouthed _"Mason?" _to him in a mocked wretch before returning his focus to Kim and waving her goodbye as well.

Kim shook her head in playful admonishment and slid into her car. Honking her horn as she pulled out of the drive and down the road.

"Well, I'm hungry now. All that horsing around got my stomach growling. Whaddya say?" Jason suggested as he and Annie headed back into the house.

"I want pizza!" Annie shouted as she raced inside, Jason a few steps behind her stopped at the door and realized that Tommy was still standing in front of the porch.

"You okay, bro?" he asked plainly.

But Tommy remained quiet, still focused on the ghost trail of Kimberly's car.

"Hey, Thomas . . . you okay?" Jason asked again, now standing beside Tommy as he continued to daydream.

After a moment, Tommy shook off his stupor and gave his friend an unconvincing grin.

"Yeah, I'm good. Let's eat," he said quickly before heading into the house. Jason cocked his eyebrow in a knowing furrow and snickered as he followed Tommy inside.

_November 25__th__, 2007  
Thanksgiving Day  
Tommy's House  
8:00 am_

"So, that girl that won't leave me alone, Allison? She asks me if I'm living with anybody and I tell her, a guy and teenage girl. Man, bro . . . you should have seen the look on her face!" Jason chuckled as he continued to tinker with the frying vat for the turkey.

Tommy and Jason had been up since 7am, getting everything ready for their feast scheduled at 3pm. Tommy had set up everything in the kitchen for Jason, as he would be the primary chef while he took it upon himself to set up the back porch. The benefits of living in southern California, even in November, the weather was still absolutely gorgeous.

Presently, Jason was still assembling what was supposed to be a frying vat for the turkey. It was essentially a giant pot with a catch that deep fried the turkey instead of roasting or baking it. Additionally, Jason had somehow been possessed to talk about all the sexual offers he'd received prior to today.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Tommy asked, indicating the fryer as he finished smoothing out the tablecloth.

"Trust me, bro. Allison's not worth it. Now if it was Jamie–"

"Not the girl you ass! Do you know what you're doing with the fryer? I don't want to get stuck with just potato salad and cranberry sauce. Did you read the instructions?" Tommy huffed impatiently.

Jason dismissed Tommy with a wave before nodding and resuming his assembly.

"I got it, I got it. And for the record . . . we're having potato salad and cranberry sauce _AND_ stuffing, cornbread, sweet potatoes and pie. Even if this thing doesn't work . . . we're not gonna go hungry, bro," Jason explained casually.

Tommy rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Just make with the assembly already, sheesh!" Tommy said exasperated.

"You know," Jason began again, concentrating on the fryer as he spoke, "I think you're just annoyed that I get hit on all the time while you're stuck with the same boring story about how some kid in your 5th period class thought Jurassic Park was the 'worst movie ever'."

Tommy grimaced and forcefully placed the last chair under the table before heading back inside the kitchen.

Jason smiled to himself as he watched Tommy silently fume as he grabbed a box of twinkle lights, an extension cord and proceeded to untangle the wires.

"I get hit on plenty," Tommy pouted as he began to string the lights around the back porch. Jason laughed out loud at his friend's sudden defensiveness.

"Moms and students don't count, bro," Jason teased.

"They're not all moms and students," Tommy muttered. Jason laughed again and shook his head.

"Let's talk about _Mason_," Jason offered excitedly. Tommy shot a furtive glance at Jason.

"Why?" he asked, fastening the strand of lights along his way. Jason tossed the screwdriver he'd been using on the grass beside him and leaned back on his hands.

"What kind of name is that anyway? Mason?" Jason mused as Tommy vehemently shook his head.

"I really don't want to talk about this, bro," Tommy said, busying himself with the task of finishing the lights.

"I mean, all Annie said was that he was some blonde guy from Kim's work. That doesn't really tell us much does it?" Jason proposed again.

"Jase, could we please–"

"I wonder if it's serious. I mean, I know you said that Kim had told you it was casual but . . . I mean, they are spending Thanksgiving together, and Kim was telling Annie that she'd say hello for her? I think Kim's serious about this guy," Jason continued to ponder, much to Tommy's chagrin.

"Why do you want to talk about this?" Tommy finally asked, spinning around to face Jason.

Jason paused in thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I don't know. I guess cause I know it bothers you and I think you should talk about it," Jason offered.

"Why would it bother me?" Tommy scoffed as he wrapped the final stretch of lights around the patio.

"Cause Kim's seeing another guy," Jason answered plainly, resuming his work on the fryer.

"Don't be stupid," Tommy snapped back.

"You don't gotta be proud with me, bro. If I was in your position, it'd bother me," Jason explained.

Tommy shook his head in frustration as he plugged the lights into the extension cord.

"I'm not being proud. And you're not in my position, and I'm not bothered!" He sighed, heading back into the kitchen to plug in the cord.

"Done!" Jason exclaimed, holding up the tiny, silver pot triumphantly. Tommy popped his head out and laughed.

"It's about damn time, bro! Get that bird in there!" Tommy cried.

"It should only take the oil a few minutes to warm up and then we'll fry it up!" Jason said, dusting himself off and heading back into the kitchen.

"What time should we wake up Annie?" Tommy asked as Jason moved passed him to wash his hands.

"Around noon, I 'd say. That's when I'll need the most help," Jason decided. Tommy nodded as began clearing out the dishwasher.

"We should get Annie to tell us more about this Mason guy," Jason said absently as he dried off his hands and leaned against the counter.

Tommy separated the dishes they'd need for later and spun around to scold Jason.

"No. I'm not gonna let you convince Annie to spy on Kim for you."

"Who said anything about spying? I think we should just come right out and ask Annie what's up with her mom and this new guy, that's all. No spying . . . " Jason said indignantly.

"Would you stop saying 'we'? I don't care about Kim and Mason. This is all your sick, twisted obsession," Tommy reminded his friend.

"Whatever you say, bro. But if I get the dirt on this dude . . . you're gonna wanna know," Jason informed him, sighing and relenting.

"Just go back to bed, would ya? Alarm's set for ten," Tommy told him, pushing Jason out of the kitchen in front of him.

"Thanks honey. Just shove me if I don't get up right away," Jason teased in a falsetto as Tommy grimaced and punched his arm. Jason laughed and waved his hand dismissively before retreating back to his bedroom.

Tommy chuckled and wandered back into the kitchen, pouring himself a cup of coffee before heading downstairs to the basement.

Once alone, Tommy took a seat in a swivel chair he'd swiped from an old college classroom. Rolling over to a rather large desk, Tommy logged onto his computer and brought up a file labeled "AG". He scanned the contents quickly, musing at the pictures the file contained, all of which he had scanned and collected to make a digital photo album of sorts. There, he noticed two empty spaces. He clicked on the first blank box, at which point a command prompt popped up and asked him if he'd like to view the file that had previously occupied that space. He clicked yes and within a minute of whirling and bizarre graphics, an image appeared. A tall, young man with long brown hair tied back into a ponytail, wearing a white shirt and black jeans, staring blissfully into the camera as a petite girl, also with long brown hair, wearing a short pink dress and combat boots, placed a kiss on his cheek.

He suspended the image on his browser as he clicked the box for the second empty space. The same prompt appeared and Tommy once again checked it to see the previous contents. The second image was smaller, two teenagers, the same guy and girl from the previous image.

Trini had taken the first photo, about a week after he had received his White Ranger powers and rejoined the team.

The second photo, he had taken himself. He and Kim were goofing around and decided to try to snap a photo of themselves together. The only shot the actually worked, was the one he was presently viewing. His own face contorted in some goofy way while Kimberly played bashful and smiled, resting her forehead against his. They were his favorite photos of him and Kim. His favorite photos that he incidentally had printed off for her and sealed inside a large, manilla folder.

Tommy wasn't sure what it meant, wanting Kimberly to have those photos. He knew that the photos made him happy . . . gave him comfort of a time when things weren't so complicated. As it stood, he didn't even know if she had officially received them. He saw Annie give her the folder, but Kim never gave him any indication she had opened it. And of course, he had attempted to ask her yesterday, before Jason rushed in and played the ultimate distraction.

He still cared about Kimberly, even after everything with Annie. His life had changed, for the better he had convinced himself. He had a daughter whom he adored and she him, a best friend that was better than a brother, a good job, a nice house . . . but there was still something missing. Something very basic and almost too obvious to mention. Tommy didn't dare think about it, for thinking about it meant that whatever seed Jason had planted in his brain about his affection for Kimberly, it was true. Or at least, still a possibility. And that was rubbish as far as Tommy was concerned. He was thankful to be on speaking terms with Kim again, however awkward and necessary they were, but to consider the possibility of anything more, _again_ . . . he simply couldn't bring himself to think about her like that anymore.

And with that final thought, Tommy shut down his computer, checked his watch and headed back upstairs for a quick nap before summoning the troops for Thanksgiving.

_**AN: Slowly but surely. Things are picking back up in Tommy and Kimberly land. So, Tommy sent Kim old photos of them as teenagers. Ah, simpler and happier times . . . I have the photo posted on my blog on my myspace page. The URL to my page is on my profile. Check it out if you wanna see the candid shot! And say . . . now that the guys have mentioned it, who IS this Mason dude? Will we meet him? Are he and Kimberly serious? Find out next time! Until then, Please Read and Review!**_


	17. Gods and Monsters

_**AN: Thank you to everyone who's been reviewing and for all your support after my long absence! We last saw Jason teasing Tommy about Mason, Kimberly's mysterious new boyfriend. Who is this Mason guy? Will we ever meet him? Perhaps . . . we may even get a flashback to how he and Kimberly started dating. But that was just the beginning. Please Read and Review and as always . . . Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 17  
Gods and Monsters**_

_November 25__th__, 2007  
Tommy's House  
5:00pm_

"So what's it like having your mom in the same school? Does she stop you in the hall and give you a big kiss on the cheek in front of your friends?" Jason asked, amusing himself as he lounged on the sofa.

Annie's eyes widened in horror as Jason continued to laugh. "NO! Oh my god! I would die if she did that!"

"Does Kim work for your school?" Tommy chimed in, setting the dirty dishes into the washer as Annie handed them off to him.

"She's the art teacher," Annie explained. Tommy nodded in acknowledgment, realizing he hadn't known what Kimberly did up to that moment.

"Bro, could you imagine if my dad had worked at our school? Man . . . " Jason mused.

Tommy snickered, "How about _my_ dad? He'd have found me after every class and given me a list of instructions on how to effectively remember everything I'd just learned."

Jason laughed, knowing Tommy's statement to be convoluted, but exact.

"What did your dad do?" Annie asked, handing off the last dish to Tommy.

"He was a military communications officer. It's why we moved around a lot. He was always needed some place new after about a month or so," Tommy explained, setting the dish into the washer.

"Is he still alive?" Annie asked. Jason turned his attention away from the television as Tommy answered.

"Yep, sure is. I guess he's technically your grandpa now, huh? Well, we'll have to make a trip to see him and your Nana," Tommy told her.

Annie smiled and nodded, excited by the idea. Jason smiled and resumed watching football.

"So, Kim's an art teacher," Tommy thought aloud, closing the dishwasher and starting the cycle.

"Yeah, mom's really good at it. It's weird to be in her class though. She treats me like she doesn't even know me," Annie informed the room.

"She probably just doesn't want it to seem like she's giving you special treatment, that's all," Tommy assured her.

Annie shrugged, folding a dish towel and setting it over the counter before wandering into the living room. Tommy followed a few minutes later with drinks for everyone. He took a seat in the lounge chair beside the sofa while Annie snuggled up beside Jason on the couch.

"What do you teach, dad?" Annie choked out. The word was still awkward to say, no matter how frequently she had begun using it.

"Science, with an emphasis in Paleontology," Tommy said as Annie's face made a grimace. Tommy and Jason laughed as Tommy set his drink down and explained.

"It's the study of dinosaurs," he elaborated. Annie's grimace turned to a look of annoyance.

"I know _that_," she said. "I just think it'd be boring." At this, Jason practically spit his soda across the room from fits of laughter. Tommy simply rolled his eyes and leaned back into the chair.

"Well, I think it's pretty cool, actually," he retorted, kicking Jason in the leg who ceased laughing upon impact.

"Trust me Annie, it's boring," Jason teased. Tommy shook his head and forced a small laugh as well. Just then, the phone rang.

"MOM!" Annie yelled, leaping off the couch as Jason stood up.

"I'll get it," he said, bracing Annie's shoulder. "I'm gonna grab another coke. You want one, bro?" he asked Tommy as he walked past him.

Tommy shook his head as he pulled his own bottle from his lips. "Jesus, Jase. You're already done with that?" he scoffed, indicating the partly crushed can in Jason's hand.

Jason shrugged and continued toward the kitchen.

"I'm thirsty," he said flippantly, grabbing the cordless receiver as he opened the fridge, grabbing three more cans of soda before shutting the door with his hip

"How's Mason?" he asked innocently. Kimberly's annoyed laugh could be heard over the phone.

"Wow. You're really lucky it was me on the phone."

"If you're looking for Annie, We don't where she is. Some guy with a Harley picked her up this afternoon and she's been gone ever since. Tommy and I had to eat by ourselves. I didn't get a good look at the guy, but I think he was missing a tooth," Jason expounded, laughing at his joke.

Tommy and Annie laughed as Jason made his way back toward the couch, setting the fresh beverages on the table.

"Could I speak to my daughter now?" Kimberly asked through giggles.

"Sure thing . . . Love you too, sis. Happy Thanksgiving," he said, handing the phone to an impatient Annie.

"Hi mom! Happy Thanksgiving!" Annie squealed, dancing around the living room as she gabbed away.

"Hey baby! Happy Thanksgiving. Did they feed you?" Kimberly asked, putting on her best concerned mother voice.

"Yep! We had an awesome dinner! Uncle Jay made cranberry sauce and pie and sweet potatoes and he fried the turkey!" Annie exclaimed, recalling every detail she could remember.

"He fried it? Was it any good?" Kimberly asked, charmed by her daughter's enthusiasm.

"It was really good. It was like Kentucky Fried Chicken! Except, it was turkey . . . we saved you some!"

Kimberly laughed, "Thank you. I can't wait to try it. Why are you so bouncy? How much sugar have they pumped you with?"

"I'm only on my third soda, mom," Annie said.

Jason and Tommy gave each other a look. Kim didn't have _strict_ rules about Annie's eating habits, but they were _far less lax _than Tommy and Jason's were. Hopefully, under the guise of a holiday would keep them out of trouble for having allowed Annie to consume so much sugar.

Kim sighed, "Well, I guess I'm going to have to get used to _Tommy's house, Tommy's rules_, huh? Just, take it easy on the sugar, okay? Can we make a deal that you'll stop at four sodas?" Kimberly offered.

"Okay. We have juice and water, too. Deal," Annie agreed.

"So what have you been up to? What are you doing now?" Kimberly asked, changing the subject.

"Dad and Uncle Jay are watching football and then we're gonna go see a movie," Annie told her.

"Tell her we're seeing _'Bloody Corpses'_!" Jason whispered harshly across the room. Annie gave him a puzzled look but shrugged and obliged Jason's request.

"Umm, mom . . . Jason just told me to tell you that we're seeing _'Bloody Corpses'_ ," Annie explained, looking toward Jason to confirm she had said the right title.

"No! Don't tell her_ I told you _to tell her, just tell her we're–" Jason whispered back, shaking his head as Tommy laughed. Jason was on a perpetual kick to freak out Kimberly. It somehow doubly reassured her that Annie was completely safe.

"Tell Jason it comes highly recommended," Kimberly cooed back.

"Mom says it comes highly recommended," Annie related back to the men. Jason snickered and sat up to yell across the room.

"BY WHOM?" Jason challenged playfully.

"Tell him; Mason," Kimberly added.

"Mason," Annie told him. Jason rolled his eyes and Tommy's once amused face became a grimace.

The silence on the other end indicated to Kimberly that she had won that round, and proceeded to laugh triumphantly.

"Oh yeah, how was dinner with Mr. Campbell?" Annie asked suddenly, remembering her manners.

As Kimberly's laughter subsided, her tone became softer. "It was okay. I left already. He's still got a lot of papers to grade before school starts back up on Monday. Thank you for asking, though," Kimberly said.

Annie nodded, "You're welcome. Sorry I forgot to ask you that sooner," she apologized.

"It's okay, sweetie. It was a short evening. I'm going to get some sleep, I think," Kimberly explained, her mood suddenly shifting.

Tommy had gotten up to use the bathroom, and in doing so had failed to miss Annie's shift in energy over the phone. Jason however, had noticed, and was now paying very close attention.

"Are you okay, mama?" Annie asked plainly.

"Yeah, baby. I'm fine. I'm just stuffed. You know what turkey does to ya! I love you, happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving, mom."

"Tell Jason I love him."

"I will."

"And . . . is Tommy there?"

"Yeah. Do you need to talk to him?"

"No! No . . . just tell him I said hello too, okay? I'll see you on Sunday. Bye."

"Okay . . . bye." Annie gazed at the phone mindlessly as she hung up, wandering back to the cradle to hang up the receiver.

"Everything all right?" Jason asked, approaching Annie. The young girl's face was flushed, as if she wanted to cry but wouldn't.

"Yeah, Mom's just tired. She said she had a good dinner with Mason but she's sleepy from all the turkey. She said she loves you," Annie said as cheerily as she could.

Suspicious but amiable, Jason let it go. He simply nodded and gave Annie a smile.

"What movie do you _really _want to see?" he asked suddenly, changing the subject. Annie thought about it for a moment as Tommy reentered the room.

"What did I miss? How's Kim doing?" he asked, slightly out of breath.

"Mom says hi," Annie told him, receiving an unconvinced look from Jason and an unbeknownst nod from Tommy.

"How was her Thanksgiving?" Tommy added, sitting back down in the chair.

"It was good," Annie replied softly, approaching the sofa and taking a seat once again. Jason was still concerned at Annie's change in tone and decided to investigate further.

"Who's Mr. Campbell?" Jason asked suddenly, sliding onto the couch as well. Tommy gave a quick glance over to Jason to indicate he was half listening before turning back to the television.

"That's Mason," Annie explained. "He's my English teacher at school." Jason's face became solemn as Tommy now turned to fully listen to the conversation that had begun.

"You call him Mr. Campbell?" Tommy asked tentatively, unsure how involved he wanted to be.

"Well, sometimes . . . I guess. It's weird to_ not _call him Mr. Campbell," Annie continued.

"Is he nice?" Tommy asked again, stealing a look toward Jason for confirmation that his question was appropriate.

"Yeah. I mean, I don't really know him that well. He and mom have been dating for a couple of weeks now but, I don't spend a lot of time with him when they're together."

"Why not?" Jason chimed in, beating Tommy to his next question.

"Well, they usually stay at his place. He's stayed over a few times at our house but I'm always here when he does that. I don't know. I guess it's better that way . . . it's really weird to see him outside of school like that, with mom and stuff," Annie elaborated, shifting in her seat. The conversation was making her uncomfortable, as if she was betraying Kimberly's trust.

Fortunately, both Jason and Tommy had heard enough, at least for now. Tommy leaned back in his seat while Jason mindlessly wrapped an arm around Annie's shoulder.

"Still up for seeing a movie?" Jason asked after a moment. Annie nodded as Tommy shrugged. His mind was somewhere else now, on someone else . . . he'd be lucky if he'd remember the movie title at the rate his mind was reeling.

"Can we see something funny?" Annie asked as Jason gave her a playfully offended look.

"Am I not funny enough for you?" he teased, sending Annie into a bashful laugh.

"My treat! Let's go! Grab your dad, I'm gonna start the car," Jason said in a rush as he slipped his shoes back on and grabbed his keys from the kitchen.

Annie leaned over and tapped the dazed Tommy on the leg. After a second or two, Tommy snapped his head to regard his daughter. Annie smiled and pulled him up by the hands, dragging him behind her.

"Come on dad, we're gonna go see something funny!" Annie pleaded as she continued to drag a rather hazy Tommy out the door.

Tommy caught the tail end of her statement and laughed to himself. He didn't know why, but he found the phrase ironic. Shaking his head of other thoughts, Tommy smiled and allowed his tiny daughter to pull him toward Jason's truck, on their way to round out their first Thanksgiving together.

_November 28__th__, 2007  
Mason's House  
Angel Grove, CA  
3:00pm_

"Damn it, Kim. I said I was sorry."

"I know. I just . . . I have to pick up Annie. We'll talk about this later, okay?"

The man was standing in his driveway, clad in nothing more than a pair of boxer shorts, calling out to the woman a few feet in front of him. Kimberly had stayed with Mason all weekend, and now needed to pick her daughter up from Tommy's as the weekend drew to a close.

After a lazy morning of cuddling and necking, Kimberly finally excused herself. Despite having been seeing Mason for almost a month, and having stayed at one another's places on several occasions, Kimberly couldn't bring herself to sleep with him. Not that she hadn't entertained the idea, but she wanted to take things slow. The whole situation was messy, but Kimberly liked Mason.

Mason was gorgeous, smart, funny, athletic and confident. She had met him the first day of school and had been smitten ever since. Only since Halloween had Mason actually approached her. It had been during their lunch break. The whole school was decked out for the holiday, teachers and students alike had dressed up for the occasion. Kimberly, being the art teacher, decided to go as the Mona Lisa, complete with half a picture frame that acted as a headdress. While she was sitting at her desk alone in her classroom, evaluating art projects carefully as she balanced the cumbersome frame on her head, a tall blond man knocked on her doorframe.

_Kimberly looked up and almost fainted. There he stood, like a Greek god, literally. He wore a white toga, and practically nothing else. His long, curly blond hair that was usually pulled back into a tidy ponytail was now free and flowing around his shoulders. His tan, sculpted body was exposed, save for the sash across his torso that held up the tiny skirt of cloth he called a costume. _

_Kimberly suddenly felt like a prude. A long, shapeless black sheath with a scoop neck was hardly enticing. Her long, chocolate hair parted in the center and plastered against her face, she felt like an idiot._

"_Can I come in?" Zeus asked. Kimberly hardly had the wherewithal to say yes, but managed a feeble nod as she remained frozen in her seat. Her mouth still slightly agape._

"_I'm Mason Campbell, do you remember me? We met in the parking lot? First day?" the God spoke again._

"_Hello? Kim? Are you there? It was Kim, right?" he said once more, tilting his head in concern for Kimberly's silence._

_Realizing she was about to drool all over her students painting, Kimberly closed her mouth and snapped out of her trance. She stood and smiled, offering her hand to him._

"_Yes! I'm sorry . . . yes, It's Kimberly. Or Kim, whatever," she said clumsily. She had remembered how to speak again, just not smoothly._

"_I like your costume. Mona Lisa, right?" Mason said, nodding his head in recognition. Kimberly gave him a bashful smile and nodded._

"_Yeah. I know, totally stupid right? Like, I'm the art teacher so I have to go as a painting," she scoffed at herself._

_Mason laughed but shook his head. "Not at all. Look at me! My 8__th__ graders at learning Mythology right now so I thought I'd give them a physical representation. Just because it's Halloween doesn't mean they can't learn something, right?" he said, flashing an almost too brilliant smile._

"_Well, you certainly look . . . authentic," Kimberly chimed, trying her best not to blush._

_Again Mason laughed. He was totally charming, and yet . . . somehow totally charmed by Kim's awkwardness. She had a vague feeling that he got this type of reaction, a lot._

"_So what can I do ya for, Mr. Campbell?" Kimberly cajoled, cringing as the gawky schoolgirl in her reared its ugly head._

_The man laughed once again. "Yikes! Call me Mason, please! I'd feel like I was hitting on a student if you called me Mr. Campbell," he joked. Kimberly's eyes widened in glorious anxiety._

_Had he just implied that he was hitting on her? Him? Hitting on her? Holy shit, she actually might faint this time._

_Luckily, Kimberly just laughed. "Okay then . . . Mason. To what do I owe this visit?" She said slowly, her smoother, more sensuous adult self, regaining control._

"_Well, to be brutally honest, I came here to ask you out," he said plainly. Kimberly felt her knees start to give._

"_Really? Wow. Yeah . . . well . . . that's pretty . . . honest," she stammered, holding her desk firming with her hand._

_Mason gave her an apologetic look and shrugged. "So . . . how about it? I mean, I've already told you my evil plan. I didn't really have a back up," he said, laughing._

_Kimberly bit her lip and smiled, her girlish and seductive sides finally meshing as one. _

"_How do I know you haven't asked every other teacher until someone said yes?" she challenged flirtatiously. Yeah right, as if anyone would turn him down, she thought to herself._

_Mason smiled and sat on her desk, dangerously hiking the skirt of his costume high above his knees. _

"_If I wanted to do that, I would have asked Janet. Her class is right next door to mine. That would have been much easier than climbing all these steps just to get to your room. And besides, Janet's married," he oozed as he cocked his eyebrow mischievously._

_Kimberly's mouth was dry as she gripped the desk tighter, forcing her instincts to back her body away from him as subtly as possible._

"_What . . . what about the classroom on the other side of yours?" she choked out, silently cursing herself for derailing the man's obvious want of her._

_Mason smiled and laughed again, standing up from her desk and slowly walking up behind her. Kimberly gulped, terror and anticipation at his next move rattling her composure._

"_As attractive as Mr. Edward is, I prefer women," he cooed in her ear, laughing as he pulled away and started for the door._

_Kimberly stood in shock for a moment, unable to feel her legs in an effort to stop him from leaving. But before she needed to, Mason came to a halt at the doorframe and turned to face her._

"_I coach JV soccer after school today. I'll be here til eight if you change your mind. I really hope you do, I'd really love to see you up against my bedroom wall," he joked, grinning widely._

_Kimberly's jaw dropped as the rest of face contorted with shock and embarrassment._

"_The frame, ya know? You're a painting . . . get it?" Mason offered cooly, giving her one last smile before heading out the door._

_Kimberly sank into her chair, smacking her forehead. Wow. She'd be seriously out of her mind to say no . . . but how would that look to the school? More important, how would Annie handle it? He was after all, a colleague and Annie's teacher. It was already a strange dynamic to have Annie as one of her own students, let alone her mother dating her other teacher. _

But spite of the potential awkwardness, Kim really wanted to make it work. Kim hadn't dated anyone since she had Annie, and her loneliness was beginning to get the best of her. She had dealt with her guilt of the past, made amends with Tommy and Annie, she felt she deserved this. She deserved someone like Mason.

However, the current situation of leaving him to pick up her daughter left him muttering some rather regrettable and flippant comments that had rubbed Kim the wrong way. So, rather than hash it out with him now, she had decided to drop it all together and concentrate on bringing Annie home. She'd have to deal with it sometime, but not now.

"Can't Annie's dad drop her off? I'm really sorry. Let me make it up to you." Mason pleaded as he approached her.

"I already said I'd pick her up. It's fine, Mason. It's really okay. Have a good night." Kimberly explained, waving goodbye as she unlocked her car door.

"I really wish you were staying." He cooed softly into her ear, running a hand through her hair while cupping her face with the other.

"Me too. Bye." she whispered back, allowing Mason's hands to lift her body as she went in to kiss him.

"Bye. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, releasing her from their embrace. He let his hand run down the length of her arm, stopping at her hand to give it a final squeeze before retreating back into his house.

Kimberly nodded and got into her car, stealing a glance in her rearview mirror as she headed to Reefside.

_**AN: So we meet Mason, sort of. Don't worry, we'll be seeing more of him soon. What's wrong with Tommy? And what about that cryptic phone call between Kim and Annie? What are Jason's suspicions? So many questions! Isn't it exciting? Please Read and Review! Catch ya on the flipside!**_


	18. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps

_**AN: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. Feedback is always greatly appreciated. General suspicions have already started to circulate about Mason. Well, we'll just have to wait and see, won't we? Haha! Now, on with the story! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 18  
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps**_

_November 28__th__, 2007  
Tommy's House  
4:30pm_

"MOM!" Annie screamed with joy as she saw Kimberly's sedan pull up to the driveway. She and Jason had taken the afternoon to play frisbee down by the beach near Tommy's house. As Annie ran faster toward her mom, Jason glanced at his watch.

"Why are you here?" Jason said as he came up behind Annie and gave Kim a kiss on the cheek. Kimberly snickered and shut her car door. Annie took Kim's purse and walked ahead of them toward the house.

"Well, that's a lovely greeting," she teased, playfully smacking Jason's arm. Jason laughed, wrapping an arm around her waist as they approached the porch.

"I meant, you're early. We weren't expecting you for another couple of hours," he explained, leading them into the house.

Annie ran out of the kitchen, where she had grabbed a glass of water and plopped down in the chair next to her mom.

"I can see that," Kim said, indicating Annie's sweaty appearance.

"We just got back," Annie defended.

"From what? Battle? You're a wreck!" Kim exclaimed, wiping the dirt and sand off of Annie's shirt as she scolded.

Jason rolled his eyes, "We went down to the beach and played some frisbee. And like I said, we would have had her all showered and fed for ya, but you're early," Jason reminded her.

"So what? You've had her all weekend, and I missed her!" Kimberly cooed, grabbing Annie's face and giving her an Eskimo kiss before Annie pawed her away and blushed.

"Mom!" Annie squeaked. Kimberly laughed and patted Annie's butt to shoo her off.

"Go on and get cleaned up. I wanna get home before it gets dark," she instructed. Annie nodded and raced down the hall toward her room.

Jason shook his head. "Kim, you know Tommy or I could have dropped her off if you were worried about driving at night," he told her.

"I'm not worried, and I know you could have . . . but I already said I was coming to pick her up. Besides, I'm just anxious to see her for myself. It was weird not spending Thanksgiving with her."

"Oh yeah, how was that? Annie told us you had dinner at Mason's?" Jason asked, trying to sound innocent.

Kimberly gave him a knowing look and shrugged. "It was okay. And stop lying through your teeth, scooter," she joked.

Jason laughed and raised his hands in defense. "What? I just asked you how it went!"

"Whatever, Jase. I know how you think. You want gossip. Well, I don't kiss and tell," Kimberly said snottily, sticking her tongue out at him.

Jason flicked her offending tongue with his finger, sending her hand to her mouth upon impact. Her eyes watered momentarily as she punched him in the arm with one hand, still protecting her mouth with the other. As she continued to beat on him, Jason bent over and hiked her over his shoulder and fell back into the couch, tickling her as she screamed and giggled.

As they both started to wear out, Jason collapsed into the cushion with Kimberly following a few seconds later. She rested her head against his shoulder as they both caught their breath.

After a moment of silence, Kimberly spoke.

"If you really want to know, Mason and I had a fight," she said, absently picking lint off Jason's jeans as she stared at nothing.

Jason pried his arm out from under her and wrapped it around her shoulder, now resting his head on top off hers.

"Trouble in paradise?" he asked with a hint of sarcasm.

Kimberly just nodded against his shoulder.

"What happened?" he asked again, this time sincere.

"He said some things about Annie," Kimberly stated plainly before Jason grabbed her and pulled her up to face him.

"What'd he say? I'll kill him," Jason said defiantly. Kimberly rolled her eyes and squirmed from Jason's grasp, straightening herself up against the couch.

"It's done now. Don't worry about it," Kim said flippantly. Jason looked at her incredulously.

"This dude insults my niece and I'm just supposed to forget about it? What'd he say?" Jason repeated.

"Jason, it's fine. I'll handle it. It just bothered me, that's all," Kim assured him.

"I don't like this guy," Jason pouted, folding his arms across his chest as he sank back into the couch.

"He's actually a really sweet guy. He knows what he said and he's sorry. I think he was just frustrated cause I haven't slept with him," Kimberly admitted bashfully.

Jason gave her a look. "You haven't slept with him?" he asked as Kimberly bit her lip and shook her head.

"Good," Jason added, pouting once again. "You know, I have a good mind to tell Tommy that Mason badmouthed his daughter."

Kimberly's eyes widened, "No Jase, please don't tell Tommy," she pleaded as Jason continued to babble.

"I mean, where's the logic? You're dating the girl's mother, so you bad mouth the kid? How did this dude score points?"

"Jason, please promise me you won't say anything to Tommy," Kimberly repeated, fidgeting in her seat.

"And he's her teacher! Unbelievable!"

"Jase, promise me you won't talk to Tommy about me and Mason," Kimberly said again, grabbing his hands and pulling him into her.

"I don't like this guy," Jason echoed, shaking his head at Kimberly.

"Fine, don't like him. Just, please don't mention any of this to Tommy, okay?" she asked one last time.

"Oh, Tommy doesn't care about some random coworker you're shacking up with," Jason said dismissively. "But he would care if this guy is trash talking his daughter," he added.

Kimberly squeezed Jason's hands. "Don't tell him," she said firmly. Jason sighed, and nodded.

"I won't say anything. But promise me, if this guy turns out to be a dick, I can kill him," Jason said, half jokingly.

Kimberly laughed in spite of herself and reached for Jason, squeezing him in a tight hug. "You have my permission," she joked back.

As the two parted, Annie raced through the room, new clothes and towel in hand. "I'm taking a shower right now!"

She yelled out, bounding up the steps and slamming the bathroom door.

Jason and Kim stared at the spot where a blur of Annie had been before laughing and shaking their heads. Just then, Tommy burst out of his office upstairs, and looked around. Hearing laughing, he descended the stairs and found Kim and Jason sitting on the couch.

"Hey Jase I thought– Hey Kim! What are you doing here? I thought I heard a door slam and Annie's voice. Then I heard laughing . . . I'm really confused," he blurted out in one breath.

"Annie just ran upstairs to take a shower. Kim's taking her home after that," Jason explained, rising from the couch toward the kitchen.

"You're taking her home now? But it's–" Tommy started to say.

"I know. I'm early. Sorry . . . I just really missed her and my weekend of fun was over so I thought I'd just come and get her. Is that okay?" Kimberly said, standing up.

"Well yeah, I guess. I just wish you had called first. I mean, we were gonna go have dinner and hang out some more but . . . yeah, I mean . . . you're here now so, I guess she's gotta go home," Tommy rationalized pathetically.

"Thanks, Tommy. I'm sorry," Kim said as Tommy scratched his head.

"I mean, I could drop her off in a couple of hours, if that's cool–"

"Already tried that, bro. Pink Princess ain't having it," Jason cut in, patting Tommy's shoulder as he walked in between he and Kim, eating a bowl of cereal he'd retrieved from the kitchen.

Kimberly rolled her eyes as Tommy lowered his head in defeat. "Oh." Was all he said. Jason laughed and padded to his room.

"Let me know before you take off, I'll say goodbye," Jason called out, waving as he closed his door behind him.

"Man, I really wish you had called," Tommy said again, trying not to sound whiny.

"I know. I should have, I'm sorry."

"I mean, I barely get to see her as it is, ya know?" Tommy explained, beating a dead horse as politely as he could.

Kimberly was becoming annoyed. "I should have called. I'm sorry. This is just how it is. You got to have Thanksgiving with her . . . " Kimberly offered.

"Now that you mention it, can we maybe talk about Christmas?" Tommy said suddenly, taking a seat in the chair.

Kimberly continued to stand, spinning on her heels to remain facing him.

"What about Christmas?" she asked.

"Well, I was thinking. Winter break is longer than fall break, right? So, maybe if Annie could come here for half of it and spend the other half with you," Tommy suggested.

Kimberly scoffed and bit her lip in frustration. "Tommy, winter break starts on the 18th. That would mean that you'd have Annie over Christmas and I'd only get her for New Year's," she argued.

"Well, how about Annie stays with me the first week and I'll drive her back on Christmas Eve. Then she can spend Christmas day with you and New Year's," he offered, smiling. It seemed to be a reasonably good plan in his eyes.

Kimberly sighed. "Can we talk about this later?" she asked.

"Why?" Tommy asked innocently.

"I just . . . I can't think about this right now, okay?" she pleaded as Tommy gave her a confused look.

"Well Kim, I mean . . . it's practically December already. I'd like to have my plans in place," he explained calmly.

"We had our plans in place, Tommy. You got Annie for Thanksgiving, I have her for Christmas," Kimberly whined.

"I know but, it just seems unfair that I only get her for a long weekend and you get her for three weeks, ya know?"

"Can we just talk about this later?" she asked again, crossing her arms defensively.

"But why, Kim? I don't understand why we can't talk about this now," Tommy whined back.

"I just don't want to think about that at this moment, okay?" she snapped, growing more agitated by the second.

Tommy sat back in his chair, "Well, you're gonna have to think about it soon," he told her casually.

Kimberly huffed and threw her hands up in defeat. "Well, I don't want to right now," she mocked.

"Kim, I wanted Annie to meet my parents and that's gonna take some planning. I can't just bust in on them," he scolded.

"Well, what if I had already had my own plans, Tommy? What if I wanted Annie to meet _my _parents?" she threatened.

"You were gonna fly to France for Christmas?" Tommy challenged, giving Kim a ridiculous look.

"What if I was?"

"Are you?"

"You're missing my point! Your little back and forth plan wouldn't work! Tommy! I just . . . see, this is why I didn't want to talk about this right now," she shouted.

"Well, damn it, Kim!" Tommy shouted back. "You spend your entire weekend with some guy and call your daughter once to see how she is, you have her for the whole week as it stands, I don't think I'm asking for much!"

"Don't yell at me! What about you? You were locked in your room when I showed up. Annie's been with Jason all day! He should be the one asking to spend Christmas with her!"

"Oh, okay. Right. The one time I'm not hanging out with her this weekend, you show up and decide that I'm not committed. Whatever," Tommy shot back.

"And don't you dare use Mason against me. This weekend was my time and I'm thankful for it, and Annie knows I love her. I don't need to call her every five seconds. But we already agreed that you got Annie on Thanksgiving and I got her at Christmas. I know I already have her during the week, but that wasn't my decision! End of discussion!" Kimberly screamed.

Jason and Annie both peered out of their respective doors at this point, not knowing whether to alert Kim and Tommy of their presence and stop the argument, or remain quiet and allow the issue to resolve it itself.

"Well it was a shitty decision and it's a shitty agreement! You have twelve years on me, Kim! That's twelve Christmases you've already had to spend with her! Please, can I just have this one? I'm not even asking for Christmas day! Just Christmas eve! Please!" Tommy lashed out, causing Kimberly's face to sink and her head to lower.

"Fine," she said quietly. Tommy froze.

"What?" he asked, unsure of what he had just convinced Kimberly of.

"I said, fine. You can take Annie over Winter break," she repeated slowly, lifting her head to reveal tears.

Tommy's face softened. He gave Kim a sad look as he extended his hands in a gesture of apology.

"Hey, wait a minute. I don't need to keep her all break. I didn't mean that, Kim. Just for the first week, okay? We'll drive up on Christmas Eve after we celebrate here. That way you can see her on the day and she'll be with you for New Year's, alright?" Tommy offered, concerned.

Kim nodded, wiping her face as Jason slowly crept of from his room.

"Everything okay in here?" he asked cautiously. Tommy turned his focus on Jason and nodded, motioning for him to approach Kim and comfort her.

"I'll go see if Annie's ready to go," Tommy said quietly, bowing his head as he walked toward the stairs and ascended.

"All these years, and you still have him whipped," Jason whispered once Tommy had left.

Kimberly elbowed Jason in the stomach and spun around to face him.

"I really don't need your smart ass comments right now," she snapped back.

"Sorry . . . " Jason choked out, holding his side.

"This is a serious problem. We both want to see Annie more than we're allowed to. I don't know what to do Jason! If it's not Christmas or Thanksgiving, it'll be Easter! Or the fourth of July, or Memorial day! What are we supposed to do?" she rambled aimlessly, pacing for a moment before flopping back down to the couch.

"You could always get back together. That'd solve everything," he joked, receiving a death glare from Kim.

"What did I say?" she threatened. Jason held his free hand up in forfeit.

"Sorry. Sorry . . . Look, Kim . . . he's just really paranoid about making up for lost time, that's all," Jason consoled her as he took his earlier seat on the couch beside her.

"I know," she said softly, nodding as tears threatened once again. "That's why I told him he could have her."

"Well, you'll still get to spend Christmas with her and New Year's," Jason reminded.

"I still feel so guilty, Jase. I just want to spend enough time with her so she knows that I really do love her, ya know? That I wanted her . . . " Kimberly cried, letting the tears flow.

"Annie's all set," Tommy's voice called out. Kimberly stifled her tears as her and Jason looked up to acknowledge him.

"She'll be right down. She just needs to grab her bag," Tommy told them, having yet to fully reenter the living room from the stairs.

"I'll go get it," Jason offered, giving Kimberly's hand a squeeze as he hopped up and headed for Annie's room.

Tommy watched Jason leave then turned his attention back to Kim, who was staring back at him.

"Annie had an idea," Tommy said, slowly moving into the room. "What if you spent Christmas here?" he asked carefully.

Kimberly narrowed her gaze and tilted her head in confusion. "You mean, with you?"

"Well, with me and Annie and Jason," he corrected, giving her a pathetic smile.

Kimberly wiped her face with the back of her hand and released a small laugh.

"Well, where would I stay?" Kimberly asked restlessly.

"There's an extra bedroom upstairs. Or if you're not comfortable with that, Annie's new room is big enough for the both of you. We could always move the spare mattress in there," he explained.

"But . . . what about your parents? You said you were going to visit them," Kim added.

Tommy gave her a piteous smile and shrugged. "You're more than welcome to join us. I'm sure they'd love to see you again. It's been awhile," he reminded bashfully, receiving an embarrassed grin from Kim.

"I'll think about it," she said finally.

Tommy nodded and smiled. He understood Kimberly's reluctance to accept the offer. He wasn't entirely sure he was comfortable with it either. But it was a thoughtful solution to their problem, should Kim finally agree to it.

"Hey squirt, let's get a move on!" Jason yelled up to Annie, having returned with her bag. He walked into the living room and set the bag down on the floor.

"Anneliese Caroline Hart! Get your butt down here! Your mom ain't a taxi service!" Jason yelled once again, receiving laughter from Tommy and Kim.

A few seconds later, Annie emerged from the bathroom, clean and clothed.

"Sorry I took so long," she said feebly, running down the stairs. Kim reached for Annie and wrapped an arm around her shoulder as Tommy grabbed the door for them. Jason followed after the girls with Annie's bag, with Tommy behind them.

Kimberly unlocked the door and popped the trunk, allowing Jason to heave the duffel bag into the car. Slamming it shut, Jason extended his arms for Kimberly and embraced her as Annie and Tommy said goodbye.

"What'd she say?" Annie asked as Tommy released her.

"She said she'd think about it."

"Aww, nuts," Annie squawked, hugging Tommy once more before heading back to the car.

"Come here, you!" Jason beckoned as Annie ran for his arms, jumping into them as they hugged.

"You took forever in there! You're as bad as your mom!" He teased, catching a playfully scorned look from Kim as she approached Tommy.

"So, you'll think about it," he echoed her words as he stood before her, hands in his pockets.

"I'll let you know by the end of the week," she assured him.

Tommy nodded as the pair slipped into an awkward silence. Then, without knowing, Kimberly wrapped her arms around Tommy and squeezed. He latched onto her arms as he stumbled backwards, not expecting her gesture.

After the shock wore off, Tommy accepted the hug and returned it briefly before relinquishing Kim's grasp.

"Have a safe trip, Kimberly," he said softly, gazing down at her.

"Thanks, Tommy," she returned, equally as quiet.

With a small wave and a smile, the two Hart women piled into Kim's car and pulled out of the driveway, Kim giving a quick honk as Annie stuck her head out the window and shouted back to the men.

"I had a great time! Thank you! I love you, Uncle Jay! I love you, dad!" she called to them as her head sunk back into the car.

Jason laughed and smiled as Tommy felt his heart skip a beat.

_**AN: Hmm . . . interesting range of emotions, yes? I think Kimberly and Tommy both made valid points. So, will she agree to stay with them over the next holiday? Will we ever get to find out what exactly Mason said? What's with that guy? And wasn't that sweet how Annie said goodbye? Oh, Tommy and Kimberly . . . your fate is in my hands! Please Read and Review! Catch ya on the flip side!**_


	19. Your Next Bold Move

_**AN: Thank you to everyone for your reviews. I love reading everyone's opinions on the characters and what they suspect will happen. It gives me great inspiration, so keep them coming! Now, on with the story! What has Kim decided? Where's Mason? Have he and Kimberly talked since Sunday? Find out below! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse  
**_

_**Chapter 19  
Your Next Bold Move**_

_December 3__rd__, 2007  
Angel Grove Junior High  
12:30pm_

Kimberly perused the latest assignments her classes had turned in. They were working on portrait sketches, using pencil. She graded the next one and then flipped it over to peel off the sticker tag that covered the artist's name. Kimberly developed the idea early on when she discovered she'd have Annie as a student. It made things easier, grading the work based solely on artistic merit, rather than skirting around an nepotism issue. Of course, she knew one of these days Annie's would be the last in the pile. Fortunately, she still had a large stack to go through, maybe she'd get lucky.

As she started grading the latest one, a knock came at her door. It was Mason, looking a bit sheepish but still just as handsome.

"Hey there," he said quietly as Kimberly looked up from her grading. Kimberly stared at him for a minute before deciding on a small smile, returning her attention back to the art.

"I'm sorry about last week," he spoke again, stepping further into the room. Kimberly nodded but kept her focus on the sketches, peeling off another tag and setting it aside.

"Kim, I feel terrible about what I said. I didn't mean to–" Mason started to say as Kimberly cut him off.

"You didn't call. I haven't seen you all week," she mentioned quietly, separating yet another sketch from the pile and moving onto the next.

Mason sighed and nodded. "I know, I know. I've been busy. But I'm here now! I just came to apologize," he explained.

Another tag was peeled and the paper was set to the side as Kimberly continued to ignore Mason.

"If you want to apologize to anyone, apologize to Annie," she told him, again moving onto the next student's project.

Mason's eyes widened in horror. "You didn't tell her, did you?"

Kimberly finally looked up at him and shook her head.

"No, Mason. I didn't tell her anything. But I don't think it'd hurt to be a bit friendlier to her, ya know?" she reprimanded.

Mason sighed and smiled, pulling up a chair beside Kim's desk. "Well, I've already done _that,_" he said, receiving a suspicious look from Kim.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I saw her struggling with her Shakespeare essay so I told her not to worry about it. She can hand it in whenever," he explained, smiling.

Kimberly gave him an incredulous look. "You what? No! Take it back! Make her turn that in!"

"But I thought this would help her to see me as a nice guy," he protested.

Kimberly shook her head. "You're not helping her by playing favorites! Just talk to her once in awhile, come over when she's actually at the house. Don't give her special treatment!" Kimberly say, utterly horrified.

Mason huffed and stood up, shoving his hands into his pockets and paced in front of her desk.

"I thought you wanted me to be her friend!" he snapped.

"I don't need you to be her friend. I need you to _want to _be her friend!" Kimberly snapped back, shaking her head in disgust and standing up from her desk to fetch her water bottle from her bag.

Mason continued to pace in silence as he hovered over her desk, aimlessly staring at the sketches strung about.

He picked up the one on top amongst the ungraded pile and shrugged, placing it back down as he resumed his pacing.

Kimberly returned to her seat as Mason slid back into his chair, catching Kimberly's hands before she returned to grading.

"Kim, look at me," he asked softly. Kim thought about it for a moment before slowly turning to face him.

"What can I do to convince you that I'm sorry for what I said?" he asked her seriously.

"You can show me that you're sorry," she told him.

Mason furrowed his brow, confused. "How am I supposed to do that?" he asked.

"Prove to me that you don't think Annie is a burden. That if you want _me_, you'll take Annie too. I'm not in this by myself, Mason. I'm sorry. I really like you, I do. But if you don't want everything else that comes with me, then we should stop right now," she explained calmly.

Mason nodded slowly, understanding all that Kim's statement had implied.

"I didn't realize you wanted such a commitment," he told her softly, heading for the door.

Kimberly's face sank as she watched him start to leave. She hadn't realized she wanted one either.

"I guess I do. I'm sorry," she breathed, tears forming in her eyes.

Mason turned around once more before leaving and gave Kim a sad smile. "Have a good weekend, Kimberly."

Kimberly's sadness became anxiety as she realized it was Friday. She hadn't called Tommy about what she had decided. She smacked her forehead and immediately sat down at her desk, carefully moving the ungraded sketches over as she pulled open her desk planner and started rummaging through the address book.

She stopped herself when she realized that even when she did find Tommy's work number, he'd still be at school, just as she was right now. Calming herself, she tossed the planner aside and shook her head, laughing. She gingerly grabbed the ungraded pile once again and resumed her grading. Then, her eyes caught something. The sketch that was next in line . . . where had she seen that image before? Those people? Kimberly's face froze in shock.

It was _her_. It was her,_ and a guy._ In fact, it was her and_ Tommy._ The sketch was taken from a photo, an old photo. Obviously Annie's, Kimberly's eyes watered as she peeled the sticker off the back and stared at the image, wondering where in the world Annie could have gotten that photo. Kimberly knew she didn't have a copy of it, though we wished she did. She laughed through her tear stained eyes as she remembered Tommy trying to squat down to her height so they could both be in the shot. By the time he succeeded, they were practically sitting on the floor. They had wasted three rolls of film, hoping for one to come out with both of their faces intact. And one had, which Tommy apparently had given a copy of to Annie. Or at have at least let her see it.

Kimberly scribbled a grade on the back, adding a post-it note to her daughter that read;

_Interesting choice._

Sticking it to the back of the sketch and carefully placing it down amongst the rest of the art, Kimberly glanced at the clock as the hand swept up, letting the bell ring. She quickly wiped her face and took a swig of her water as students began filtering back from lunch.

_December 3__rd__, 2007  
Angel Grove Junior High  
3:00pm_

Kimberly laughed as she said goodbye to a student who had stayed after to help her clean up. Setting the last chair up on the table, she walked back to her desk and started packing up her bag.

Annie rushed in a few minutes later, a notebook in hand and looking flustered.

"Mom!" Annie whined as she invaded the classroom, throwing her backpack to the ground and collapsing into a chair.

Kimberly looked up at her daughter from across the room and giggled.

"You okay?" she mused, zipping her bag shut and tossing it over her shoulder.

"I have to do my Shakespeare essay all over again," she pouted, crossing her arms in a huff.

Kimberly's face softened as she recognized the reference from her earlier conversation with Mason.

"What do you mean?" Kimberly asked innocently, taking a seat beside Annie.

"Mr. Campbell told me I could turn it in whenever cause I was having trouble with it and I didn't turn it in on time, so this morning he was like, _'No problem. Get it to me when you can.'_ But after school he asked me to see him in his room and he told me he changed his mind and now I have to start over and hand it in by Monday!" Annie explained, wailing melodramatically.

Kimberly rubbed Annie's back tenderly as a small smile crept onto her face. Mason had heard her, and this small gesture was his way of letting Kim know he wasn't ready to give her up. It gave her butterflies, having a man in her life again that went out of his way to make her happy.

"I asked him to," Kimberly told Annie, still rubbing her back before Annie's head shot up and she pulled away from Kim.

"What? Why?" Annie demanded.

"You should have turned in the essay in the first place," Kimberly warned her.

"But he let me off the hook! Mom! Why'd you tell him to take it back?" Annie pleaded.

"Because you shouldn't be given special treatment just because your mom is dating your English teacher. How would that look to the other kids?" Kim rationalized calmly.

Annie snickered and moped some more, resuming her crossed arms. Just then, Mason entered the room, stopping as he and Annie locked eyes.

"Mr. Campbell's here," Annie muttered as Kimberly stood up and spun around to face him. He gave Kim a bashful smile as Annie collected her backpack and excused herself.

"I'll be outside, mom," she said quietly, receiving a nod from Kim as Mason and Annie exchanged an awkward wave in passing.

"I take it she told you what happened?" Mason surmised, leaning up against Kim's desk as she began walking toward it.

"You didn't have to do that," Kim said, holding onto the strap of her bag as she stood a few feet from Mason.

"Yes I did," he corrected her, smiling. Kim returned the smile and bit her lip as he extended his arms to her.

Obliging, Kim grabbed his hands in hers as he pulled her closer to him, still leaning against her desk.

"Well, I didn't actually think that you would," she explained softly as his arms wrapped around her waist, their faces a few inches apart.

Mason smiled as their noses brushed, squeezing Kimberly into a tighter embrace. Kimberly closed her eyes and smiled back as Mason's lips slowly touched her own.

Wrapping her arms lazily around his neck as he continued to squeeze around her mid-section, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss.

As their mouths pulled apart, Mason remained holding onto Kim's waist as she released his neck and ran her hands down his sculpted arms.

"Stay with me for Christmas," he said.

Kimberly's elated face dropped slightly at his offer. "I don't know if I can," she said sadly.

"Annie can stay too. I want you both to spend the holiday with me," he amended quickly, hoping he hadn't ruined his chance by not mentioning Annie earlier.

Kimberly shook her head and bit her lip. "No, I mean . . . I've already made plans to stay with Annie's dad and her uncle," Kimberly explained.

Mason grimaced, keeping a hold of Kim's waist but pushing her slightly away.

"You're staying with Annie's dad?" Mason asked her incredulously.

Kim tilted her head and sighed. "Well, Tommy and I were having a hard time trying to schedule our visiting time over the break, and Annie suggested that we just stay there. I haven't said yes yet but I'm supposed to let him know today."

Mason shook his head. "I can't believe you're going to be spending Christmas at his house!" Mason scoffed, raising his voice slightly.

Kimberly looked at him with a threatening eye. "Well it's not like you have anything to worry about, it's just Annie's dad! And Jason will be there," Kimberly assured him, cupping his face in her hands as he rested his on her hips.

"Is this your brother who's not really your brother?" Mason clarified. Kimberly had only mention vague details regarding Jason, leaving out Tommy as much as she could.

"He also happens to be my best friend from kindergarten," Kimberly reminded him sweetly. Mason rolled his eyes as Kimberly nuzzled her forehead against his, reminding her of Annie's drawing. Kimberly suddenly pulled back and relinquished Mason's hold on her.

"Oh my god," she whispered, as she marched over to the folder containing all the graded sketches.

Mason looked at Kimberly, concerned. He watched as she began flipping through the stacks of drawings she had collected.

"What's the matter?" Mason asked, confused. Kimberly didn't know how she had suddenly put the two together, but she continued to search fervently for the drawing.

"It was in that folder," she said to herself, leaving Mason with a cross-eyed look as he tried to decipher her ramblings.

"Kim, what's going on?" he asked again, having stood to face her.

Finally, Kimberly found Annie's drawing and held it up, looking at the image once again.

"I'd love to spend Christmas with you," she said suddenly, sliding the picture back into the folder and setting it back on her desk.

Mason's eyes widened in surprise as Annie cringed just outside the door. She had been eavesdropping the entire time and was now panic stricken as her mom seemingly agreed to Mason's offer.

"Why the sudden change?"Mason asked as his shock gave way to pleasure. Kimberly step toward him again, setting his hands back on her hips while she wrapped her arms around his neck once again.

"Don't you want me there?" she asked seductively as Mason smiled, pulling her close to him.

"Oh, I definitely want you," he whispered back in a husky tone before devouring Kim's mouth.

Annie made an involuntary retching sound as Mason and Kimberly pulled apart quickly, scanning the room for the source of the noise. Kimberly's eye narrowed on the door as she firmly placed her hands on her hips and stared down the door.

"Anneliese Caroline Hart," she demanded. Moments later, Annie peered around the corner and slowly entered the room. Mason finished dusting himself off and tried to appear as casual as possible while Kim scolded her daughter.

"What were you doing outside the door, young lady?" Kimberly asked sternly as Annie bowed her head.

"Nothing," Annie lied. It didn't matter. Kim knew she was lying, and had heard their entire conversation.

"Would you like to apologize for spying on Mason and me? He's just offered to have us join him for Christmas,"

Annie shot her head up in outrage as Kim's directive implied she had decided for the both them.

"What?" Annie choked out.

"Why don't you say you're sorry and thank him for inviting us," Kimberly commanded.

Annie dragged her feet across the room to Mason and stood before him, coldly.

"I'm sorry. Thank you for inviting us," she said apathetically. Kimberly sighed and crossed her arms.

Mason gave her a smile, trying to lighten the mood. "No problem. I promise you we'll have a lot of fun at my house. We'll be like a little family," he joked, reaching out to pat her shoulder before she pulled away.

"I already have a dad!" she snapped.

"Annie!" Kim scolded.

Annie winced and huffed, heading for the door. She slung her backpack over her shoulder as she turned back to face Mason and Kim.

"I'll be outside _for real_, this time," she said, storming off hurriedly.

Kimberly rubbed her temples before spinning back around to Mason.

"I'm sorry about that," Kim said shamefully.

Mason chuckled and grabbed Kim by the waist, checking the door just in case.

"How'd I do?" he said delicately, swaying Kimberly in his arms.

Kimberly smiled in spite of herself and bit her lip. "You were wonderful. She's just upset right now. I'll talk to her."

Mason pulled Kimberly closer and kissed her forehead. "Does this mean you're not coming?" he asked.

"Oh no. We're both coming. Even if I have to drag her! I wouldn't miss Christmas with my two favorite people for anything," she said quietly as she and Mason kissed once again.

"Whatever keeps you with me, I'm happy," he said. Kimberly smiled as she gently pulled Mason's hands off her waist and grabbed her bag.

"I better get going," she told him.

Mason nodded, straightened himself up and escorted Kim out the door.

"You dropping Annie off tonight?" he asked as they approached the parking lot. Kimberly shook her head.

"No. Her dad's coming by to pick her up. We'll probably talk about the change in plans then," she explained.

"Maybe I could come over? Spend a little time with Annie like you wanted, meet her dad," Mason suggested.

Kimberly's eyes widened. "I don't really think that's a good–" she started to say.

"I'll be totally professional. I'm still Annie's teacher, Kimberly. I like meeting the parents," he assured her.

Kimberly bit her lip and blinked nervously. She had wanted to keep Tommy and Mason apart for as long as possible, but without starting another argument, Kimberly currently couldn't think of a good reason why the two shouldn't meet.

"Okay," she said feebly. Mason nodded and smiled, giving her a parting kiss before waving and heading for his car.

Kimberly sighed heavily as she approached her own vehicle. Annie was leaning against the passenger door, staring into nothing.

"You ready?" Annie asked bitterly.

"Annie, please don't start," Kimberly said pathetically, unlocking the door and sliding in as Annie dropped into her seat and slammed the door shut.

Kimberly glared at her daughter and shook her finger in her face.

"You've got a lot of nerve with this attitude, girly," Kimberly warned. Annie started to say something regrettable but stopped herself. Sinking back into her chair and pouting instead.

"Mason's coming over for a little bit before Tommy comes to pick you up, so–"

"Oh! I can't wait for dad to meet Mason!" Annie laughed maniacally.

Kimberly stared at her daughter incredulously as she started the car. "Why is that so funny?"

"Because that's like, the worst idea ever, mom!" Annie said, still laughing. Kimberly pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the street.

She said nothing for a moment, knowing Annie's comment, however flippant, to be true. It was possibly, the worst, idea, ever.

She had been as sketchy as she possibly could be without being suspicious about Annie's father. When Mason first learned that Kimberly had a daughter, he assumed Kim was divorced. When she explained that she had never been married, Mason assumed a lifelong, live-in boyfriend, which was closer. But Kimberly bent the truth and told him that she had briefly dated Tommy, excluding the abortion, and the letter, and the drama. He didn't need to know how complicated her history with Tommy was. Nor did he need to know that he had been the love of her life. But with Tommy's defensiveness and Mason's candor . . . Kimberly suddenly felt her heart sink.

"Where did you get the photo?" Kimberly asked, breaking the silence as they continued to drive home.

Annie gave her mom a quick look of confusion before realization hit.

"You saw my sketch," she said quietly. Kimberly nodded, giving Annie a permissive look to answer her previous question.

"Dad gave it to me," Annie said quickly.

"You mean he gave it to me," Kim corrected her. Annie wrinkled her nose and sighed, starting to defend herself before Kimberly interrupted.

"Why did you go through that folder? Tommy gave it to you to give to me," Kimberly said pointedly.

"It was just two pictures," Annie defended.

"But what if it wasn't? What if it was something more personal?" Kimberly chided.

"But it wasn't!" Annie protested.

"That's not the point! I have things, as I'm sure you do, that I like to keep private. I don't go through the mail and open every letter addressed to you, do I?" Kimberly lectured.

"Sorry," Annie murmured.

"Did you say _two_ pictures? What was the other one?" Kimberly asked suddenly.

Annie bit her lip and winced, already feeling guilty enough as it was.

"Annie, I know you've already seen it. You might as well tell me what it was," Kimberly said.

"It was another one of you and dad. You looked really young. Dad had long hair and you had a dress on," Annie said slowly.

Kimberly laughed at Annie's observations. They told her practically nothing, other than it was clearly from high school.

"What was Tommy wearing?" Kimberly asked.

"Umm, a shirt and pants," Annie said confusedly.

"What color was the shirt? What were we doing?" Kimberly asked again, trying to imagine the image.

"He was wearing a white shirt, and . . . black jeans, I think. Oh! You had on a pink dress and you were kissing his cheek," Annie recalled, pleased with herself for remembering.

Kimberly smiled sadly. Trini had taken that photo. She could remember the gang laughing at how cocky Tommy's face looked, staring straight into the camera while she kissed him, as if to say, _"Don't you wish you were me right now?"_

Kimberly laughed to herself as Annie gave a confused smile.

"I'm sorry I went through the folder," Annie said.

"It's okay, sweetie. As long as you still have that photo and I get it back," Kimberly told her. Annie nodded.

"No problem! I kept it in my journal," she assured her mom.

Kimberly gave Annie a wink as they pulled into their driveway. Kimberly glanced at the clock on the dashboard.

It was already past four. Tommy would be there in another hour and Mason would be even sooner.

"Day of reckoning," Kimberly muttered as they climbed out of the car. Annie giggled as she hauled her backpack up the stairs and into the house, Kimberly close behind.

_December 3__rd__, 2007  
Kimberly's House  
5:30pm_

Annie, in a passive aggressive manner, sat on the couch in the living room with all of her bags packed and piled beside her. Mason sat at the other end of the sofa, nervously tapping his fingers against his thighs.

The two had exchanged an awkward greeting before slipping into an even more uncomfortable silence. Kimberly had assured Annie that they would simply go back to Tommy's initial suggestion of her spending the first week with him, returning on Christmas Eve to spend the day and New Year's with her and Mason.

Annie accepted the idea, but she didn't like it. She was so hopeful that her mom would have said yes to her plan, hoping she'd forget about Mason and reconcile with Tommy.

Annie didn't dislike Mason. It was just, weird. And although neither of her parents ever mentioned it, they still loved each other. Annie could feel it, or at least, Jason had convinced her as much. But even without her uncle's persuasion, she really longed for her parents to get back together. She had never known them together, but she liked the idea of being whole, with her real family.

Kimberly came in from the hall, having cleaned herself up and changed her clothes for the hundredth time in under an hour. Tommy would be there any second, and Mason and Annie still hadn't bonded. Not that she expected them to in twenty minutes, but she had hoped for friendly conversation.

Annie was stubborn, stoic and calculated when she clearly disapproved of something.

Of course, that was in public, when she felt threatened, much like Tommy. In private, like Kimberly, Annie's disapproval came out in shouting, pouting and crying.

_Ding Dong_.

Kimberly nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the door. Giving a quick glance to the mirror in the hall, she brightly strode out into the living room, smiling to Annie and Mason as she went to open the door.

Mason stood up quickly, glancing around to find something he could look more natural with, rather than just present himself. Annie rolled her eyes and lazily wandered into the kitchen.

"Tommy! Hey! Come in," Kimberly said cheerily as she greeted him.

Tommy smiled and gave Kim a weird look, stepping inside the house.

"Hey, sorry I'm running a little late–" he began to say, his eyes catching Annie's bags and then falling right onto Mason.

Tommy clenched his jaw as he took an unconscious step back. Kimberly shot a quick glance around for Annie, silently cursing her for abandoning ship.

"Umm, Tommy, this is Mason Campbell. Mason, this is Tommy Oliver . . . Annie's dad," Kimberly said anxiously.

Annie peeked her head around the door and glared as Kim snuck a menacing glance back at her.

"GET OUT HERE!" Kimberly mouthed before turning back to the two men who were carefully assessing one another.

"Hi Tommy. It's good to finally meet you. I can see where Annie gets her good looks," Mason said, offering his hand.

Tommy accepted the gesture but said nothing, only nodded. Mason gave Kim a desperate look before shoving his hands into his pockets.

Kim subtly shook her head and cleared her throat.

"Umm, Mason . . . Tommy's a teacher also . . . that's neat, huh? Yeah . . . let me just go find Annie. I'll be right back," Kim said quickly, racing toward the kitchen.

Mason watched Kimberly go before turning his attention back to Tommy, who continued to stare him down.

"So, you're a teacher too? Awesome, man. What do you teach?" Mason asked, slowly regaining his composure.

"Science," Tommy said plainly. Mason's eyes widened as he nodded.

"Science, huh? Any particular branch? Biology, Physics . . . " Mason added

"Paleontology," Tommy clipped again. Mason laughed at the obvious tension, although Tommy's stoicism was something to admire.

"That's impressive," Mason mused, finally getting comfortable and sliding down onto the couch.

Tommy didn't like how at ease Mason seemed inside Kimberly's home. It bothered him. God only knows why it bothered him . . . but it did.

Both men remained silent, still sizing up the other. They were similar in many ways. Both stood about six feet, both extremely athletic, both had handsome, chiseled features resting on bronzed skin. It was a war among gods. Had Tommy kept his hair long, and Mason's not been blonde, they could have passed for brothers.

The similarity struck Tommy as amusing suddenly, and he quietly laughed to himself. Mason, not understanding what Tommy had found to be funny, took his laughter as a sign of assurance.

"Annie's a great kid," Mason said, trying to break the ice once more.

"Yeah, _my daughter's _great," Tommy said pointedly, emphasizing 'my daughter', as he feigned niceties.

Kimberly and Annie were now both peeking through the door to watch the proverbial pissing contest that had begun.

"Who's brilliant idea was this?" Kimberly said quietly as she shook her head. Annie released a muffled laugh in spite of it all.

"It's not going as badly as I thought it would," Annie whispered back.

"So . . . umm . . . when Kimberly described you, she said you used to have long hair. Do you miss it?" Mason offered painfully, unsure how to talk to Tommy.

"Not really. I'm glad I cut it. I needed the change, ya know? It was time for me to grow up and lose the ponytail," Tommy explained bitingly as Mason self consciously ran his hand over his own ponytail.

"Yeah, I thought about cutting mine but, the ladies love it," Mason jabbed back, giving Tommy a wink.

Tommy snickered, remembering how Kimberly used to play with his hair and how often she complimented him for it.

"How much longer are we supposed to just sit here, mom? This is painful," Annie whispered, her previously optimistic tone shifting into an anxious one.

"I'm just waiting for a lull in the conversation," Kimberly hushed back. Annie rolled her eyes.

"Their entire conversation is a lull!" she whispered. Kim carefully swatted Annie's arm before returning her focus back to the men.

"So, I'm glad I finally got to me you, Tommy. Have any idea what Annie wants for Christmas? I'd hate for the girls to show up and I'm unprepared!" Mason joked as Tommy's expression turned even more sour.

"The girls show up? I'm sorry . . . did I miss something? Are you coming with Kim and Annie?" Tommy asked rudely, he was just simply too shocked to be polite at this moment.

"Holy hell, I have to get out there," Kim squirmed as Annie followed.

"No, the girls are coming over to my place for Christmas . . . Kimberly didn't talk to you yet?" Mason said, embarrassed and confused as Kimberly and Annie sheepishly entered the living room.

Tommy and Mason both turned to Kim.

"What happened to our plan?" Tommy asked somewhat childishly. Kim held her hands up in protest and Mason backed out of the way, leaping off the couch.

"Tommy, I'm sorry I didn't call you before but, Mason just asked me this today," Kimberly explained carefully.

Tommy pouted and shook his head. "So, you're not coming?" he whined for clarification.

"Annie's staying with you for the first week and then you guys are coming back on Christmas eve. Or I can come and pick her up, whatever's easier," Kim said.

Tommy gave Kim an exasperated look. "Are you serious? Kimberly! What happened to _'I'll think about it'_?"

"I did think about it! I thought about it all week. I don't need to explain my reasoning, and now is not the time to get into an argument, Tommy. So, can we please just agree and let it go?" Kim pleaded.

Tommy snapped his mouth shut and nodded. He was beyond annoyed, and Kim knew it.

"Grab your bags, kiddo," Tommy instructed quietly, reaching for the larger one as Annie grabbed her backpack and purse.

"Nice meeting you," Tommy said flippantly toward Mason as he left the house. Mason gave a sheepish wave before shoving his hand back into his pocket.

Kim gave Annie a kiss on the cheek as she marched passed her, ignoring Mason on her way out.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Kim reminded her as Annie stopped at the door and turned around.

"Bye Mason. It was nice talking to you," Annie said mechanically as she spun back around and headed out the door behind Tommy.

Kimberly glanced back at Mason and excused herself. "I'll be right back," she told him. Mason nodded as Kimberly dashed out the door, sprinting toward Tommy's jeep.

"That was ridiculous!" she snapped, coming up behind him as he loaded Annie's things into the back.

"What?" Tommy asked innocently.

"Don't give me that! You acted like a spoiled brat in there! You totally embarrassed me! I'm sorry that our plans changed, but that doesn't mean you have to be rude! It's not like you're not getting to see her!" Kimberly said, indicating Annie as she spoke.

"Kim, you're starting to do that thing again," Tommy told her seriously.

"What thing?" Kim asked defensively, piking upward to stare him down.

"That thing where you lie to make everything easier on yourself," he said cooly, staring back down at her.

Kimberly sank back to the ground, feeling like a scolded dog. It was a low blow, though not untrue. Tommy hadn't said anything that biting to her since their therapy sessions.

Tommy rolled his eyes. "I'll drop her off Sunday," he said curtly, jumping into his jeep as Annie gave her mom a worried wave goodbye.

Kimberly stood in her driveway, fighting her tears back. She felt like everything she did was wrong. She couldn't swing a dead cat around with getting into an argument with someone.

Kimberly wiped her face with the back of her hand before turning around toward the house. She gasped slightly as she saw Mason standing in the doorway.

"Annie's a lot like her dad, huh?" he laughed bitterly.

It was an honest statement, and Mason had meant well by joking, but Kimberly couldn't handle the reality of it at the moment. She was like her dad, even with twelve years of his influence missing from her existence, she was still so much like Tommy . . .

Kimberly sighed as Mason led them back inside the house. It would be a long weekend, and she couldn't _wait_ to here what Jason had to say . . . God only knew what Tommy and Annie would tell him . . .

_**AN: DAMN IT, MASON! Haha. Just kidding . . . he just had to go and invite them didn't he? Looks like Annie's coming to her own conclusions about this guy.(Jason must be rubbing off) And oh yeah, Tommy and Mason meet! I quote Annie, "worst, idea, ever." Kimberly does seem to stick her foot in her mouth a lot, doesn't she? Is she just a glutton for punishment? Was Tommy being unfair? So what happens now? It's all up to me and even I'm nervous! Please Read and Review! Catch ya on the flip side!**_


	20. Imagine That

_**AN: How do Tommy and Annie feel about this recent development? Why is Kimberly so defensive of Mason? Why is Tommy so defensive in general? Find out below! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse **_

_**Chapter 20  
Imagine That**_

_December 3__rd__, 2007  
Tommy's House  
8:00pm_

"He's totally a poor man's_ me_, Jase! You should see him! Oh my god! I can't believe she did this! I cannot believe she ditched our plan so she could spend the holiday with her _boyfriend!_ I mean, she runs around and acts like she's thinking of Annie too, but you know she's not. You know she just wanted to be with him! Why? Why that guy? I mean, I could understand it if the guy was amazing but he's just some random guy who happens to teach at her school! It was pathetic, you should have seen her . . . all defensive about Mason's feelings and whatever . . . pisses me off, bro. It wasn't like I was trying to get in her way, ya know? I thought we came up with a good solution to our problem and there she goes . . . running away and taking Annie with her! I thought I was done with this shit! Oh! And the asshole comment he made about the hair! Wow! I tell ya Jase, if I actually cared, I'd punch him! I'm serious. That dude is a jackass. Lounging on the couch like he lives there! What is that? I mean, I should have a say in who I want influencing my daughter, right? And I certainly don't want this guy anywhere near Annie! I can't believe Kimberly defended him! What? This guy asks you to stay with him suddenly and that's more important than being with your family? Or with your daughter? What makes Mason so special? I mean, what would she have done is he had asked her to marry him? Would she have just up and said yes? Nice going, Kim! God . . . I can't believe that guy . . . "

Jason laughed as Tommy sat down in a huff. He'd been on this rambling monologue since he got home. Annie's bags were still by the door where he'd tossed them. Jason wanted to stop him and slow him down, but something about Tommy's childish jealousy made him happy. He was glad to see Tommy actually expressing his annoyance, it only fueled Jason's theory more. Tommy wasn't just annoyed with Kimberly changing their plans. He was annoyed that Kimberly had changed their plans _for a guy._

Annie had gone straight to her room after realizing that Tommy wasn't about to shut up anytime soon, so Jason would have to wait to hear her side, which, by the looks of things, would be a bit more rational, if not equally displeased.

"You know what else I don't like? All these concessions he's making for Kimberly. You know what Annie told me? Annie told me that because Kim asked him to make her rewrite an essay, he did it! Can't you believe that? I mean, come on, bro! Have some balls! And now he's trying to be all friendly with Annie. She told me he had never actually been at their house with her there, until today! Yeah! Can you believe that? He actually tried to act like he's welcome! HA! And he asked me advice about what to get Annie for Christmas! As if I'd tell him something like that! What else do you want advice about, Mason? I could give him some advice about Kimberly! Oh! That'd show him. Oh yeah hey buddy, I thought about your question and uh . . . Annie wants a new guitar and Kimberly likes it rough! I mean, is this guy serious?"

Jason grimaced at Tommy's graphic statement about Kim, but remained silent. If he questioned him now, Tommy would deny it all. He was just too proud.

"What's he think he can do? Replace me? HA! She's never going to love him like she loves me," Tommy laughed maniacally.

At this, Jason had to interject. "Who we talking about bro?" he asked, a wry grin on his face.

Tommy, out of breath and flustered looked back at Jason. "Annie. Who else would I be talking about?"

"Right," Jason said under his breath as Tommy resumed his tirade.

"This guy thinks he can just come in and buy her presents and act like I'm just some glorified babysitter? Like Kim's really gonna be impressed by that. Whatever . . . what guy does that?"

Jason couldn't help himself, "Uh, you would . . . bro."

"You're damn right I would! " He admitted quickly before realizing what he had said. Tommy stopped abruptly and snapped his mouth shut tightly. He thought about Jason's comment for a moment and started to laugh, cringing at the idea.

Jason laughed too, relieved that Tommy had caught himself.

"I probably would . . . " Tommy repeated absently as his laughter started to subside.

Annie padded out of her room moments later.

"Are you still talking about Mason?" she asked quietly. Tommy gave her a look and shook his head, extended his arms out to her.

As he sat in the chair, Annie hugged his neck while he wrapped his arms around her waist. Jason smiled as he stretched out on the sofa.

"I'm gonna go to bed," Tommy said suddenly, getting up and relinquishing his grasp of Annie.

Annie gave Jason a concerned look before he sat up and stopped Tommy.

"You okay, bro?" Jason asked.

Tommy turned and gave them a sad smile. "My head hurts. I think I talked too long," he mused as Jason and Annie laughed, waving a goodnight to Tommy.

Annie watched her dad pad upstairs before collapsing onto his former spot in the chair. Jason sat back again and stared absently at the ceiling.

"Think your dad's jealous?" Jason pondered.

Annie giggled. "Totally," she said.

"Just what he needs," Jason smirked.

Annie snickered before leaning back into the chair.

"I just wish mom had a reason to be," Annie said absently, twirling her hair around her finger.

Jason's eyes widened as he shot up and faced Annie.

"I got it!" he said triumphantly.

"What?" Annie asked eagerly, edging dangerously close to falling out of her seat.

Jason's face turned sour, questioning if the person on his mind was too uncouth to release, even on a stubborn Kimberly.

"What, Uncle Jay?" Annie asked again, growing impatient.

"Katherine," he said with a nod.

Annie wrinkled her forehead in contemplation, trying to place the name. She had met a lot of her parents' friends at Trini's funeral, but Aunt Aisha was the only girl she knew well. Then, she remembered. The pretty, tall, blonde woman with the accent.

"Why her?" Annie asked, now connecting a face with the name.

"Let's just say, your dad and Kat go way back," Jason said carefully. Annie wasn't buying it. Sometimes she was just too smart for her own good.

"Did they date?" Annie asked, annoyed.

Jason just shrugged and gave Annie a wink before resuming his lounged position on the couch.

Annie's eyes widened as she glanced back to the stairs where her father had ascended to, moments ago.

"Is that gonna be weird?" she asked nervously, turning back to face Jason.

Jason laughed from his gut. "Oh . . . most definitely Annie. Most definitely . . . " he continued to laugh as Annie bit her lip in concern.

_**AN: AGH! So, I know, I'm evil leaving you with that, but I thought this would be a nice short chapter after the last couple of long ones. And it sets everything in motion. Stick around. Things are about to get crazy! (Like they weren't already! Haha.) Please Read and Review! Catch ya on the flip side!**_


	21. Both Sides Now

_**AN: Thank you all so much for your reviews! You guys are cracking me up with your comments! So, how will Kim take the news of Tommy's new "friend?" Find out below! Please Read and Review! And as always, enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse  
**_

_**Chapter 21  
Both Sides Now**_

_December 5__th__, 2007  
Kimberly's house  
6:00pm_

"Mom, I'm home!" Annie called out, dragging her bag behind her. Kimberly appeared from her bedroom minutes later.

"Hey. I didn't even hear you come in," Kim said as Annie passed her with her bag, dropping it off into her room.

"Yeah, dad just dropped me off," she explained.

Kimberly rolled her eyes. Tommy was clearly still mad at her.

"How was your weekend?" Kim asked, sitting on the edge of Annie's bed as she unpacked.

"It was fun. I saw _Dancing with Love _at the cineplex," Annie stated casually, shoving her laundry into her hamper.

Kimberly smirked. "Your dad and Jason actually took you to see _Dancing with Love_?" She mused, laughing as she stood up and helped Annie sort her clothes.

Annie bit her lip and smiled, looking away from her mom. "Actually dad and his friend took me to see it," she corrected slyly.

Kim gave Annie a pleased look. "Oh! Who's his friend?" she asked, collecting the remaining laundry from Annie and starting for the door as Annie followed.

"Katherine," Annie said casually, striding brightly past her mom and down the hall to the pantry.

Kimberly's face dropped, along with the hamper she was holding. Annie stopped dead in her tracks, held back a satisfied grin and turned to face her mother.

"You okay?" Annie asked innocently.

Kim cleared her throat and looked at her daughter. "I'm fine. Let's do this laundry before it gets too late," Kimberly lied sweetly.

Annie turned around and continued toward the pantry, taking the hamper from Kim as her mother found her voice again.

"So, who's Katherine?" Kimberly asked with feigned intrigue. Annie played along, giving her mom a confused look.

"Dad said you knew her," Annie said. Kimberly again, feigned surprise. Smacking her forehead with an exaggerated clap, she gave her daughter a bashful grin.

"Oh! _That_ Katherine! How silly of me! How could I forget _Katherine?_! Or Kat, as we called her. Did you know that we called her Kat? Yep . . . that was her nickname . . . Kat . . . " Kimberly rambled pathetically.

"Dad suggested we go see the movie cause Kat's a dancer. Or _was_ a dancer . . . I don't remember," Annie said wryly.

"Did everyone enjoy the movie?" Kim asked cheerfully, aggressively swatting the dirty clothes into the washer.

Annie stifled a giggle before answering. "Well, to be honest . . . not really," Annie said simply.

Kimberly gave her daughter a hopeful glance as Annie continued.

"Dad and Kat were laughing and whispering to each other through the whole thing. It was kind of hard to concentrate."

Kimberly clenched her jaw and slammed the washer lid. Annie winced at the sound as she desperately tried to hide her smile.

With a swift flick of the wrist, Kimberly started the machine and sighed.

"Well, I'm sorry they ruined the movie for you," Kimberly said tightly, giving Annie's shoulder a squeeze.

"Oh, they didn't really. Dinner was way worse," Annie said quickly.

Kimberly inhaled a sharp breath before releasing Annie's shoulder and moving back into the hall.

"She had dinner with you?" Kimberly asked nonchalantly, entering the kitchen with Annie close behind.

"Yeah . . . dad invited her back to the house. Kat's really nice but her and dad just kept talking! And they had all these jokes between each other, and I didn't get a lot of their conversation. She seems really cool though, and dad seemed happy so, whatever," Annie explained flippantly, grabbing a glass out of the cabinet and filling it with tap water.

"Where was Jason during all of this?" Kimberly asked suspiciously as she began wiping down the counter. Kim had developed a nervous habit of cleaning when she was mad, Annie had noticed.

"Oh, Uncle Jay's the one who called her to come visit in the first place," Annie said casually. She had been given specific instructions from Jason to say exactly that phrase.

"Did he?" Kimberly asked sharply, tossing the rag into the sink and running warm water over it. Annie watched as her mom silently fumed, shutting the water with an aggressive thud and wringing the dishcloth as if it was somebody's neck.

"Yeah. He said he got an email from Uncle Bill who mentioned he was back in California and so was Kat. Uncle Jay thought it'd be nice to catch up," Annie said.

Kimberly released a laugh. "So, Jason invited Billy and Kat together?" she asked for clarification.

"Well, not _together_ like, _Uncle Bill and Kat are together_. But Uncle Bill said they were both in town, so Uncle Jay wanted to see _both_ of them. Uncle Bill couldn't make it, but Kat did," Annie explained happily.

Kimberly gave her a weak smile. "Well, I'm glad Kat could make it," she muttered.

"Dad invited her back for the holidays!" Annie added.

Kim tossed the rag into the sink and glared at her daughter. "He did what?" she asked incredulously.

Annie gave her a mom a confused look and shrugged. "What? She's your friend too. You'd get to see her," Annie defended.

Kim spun back to stare into the sink, trying to control her temper. "Why would I want to see Kat?" she asked more to herself than Annie.

"Maybe dad could invite all your friends for the holidays! Or at least, New years! That'd be cool! I haven't seen Aunt Isha and Uncle Zack in forever!" Annie pressed on.

"New Years . . . " Kimberly muttered sadly, still staring at the metal basin in front of her.

Annie settled down, Kim's silence beginning to worry her. Her mother was visibly affected by the mention of this woman.

"Mom, are you okay?" Annie asked, breaking Kim of her thoughts.

"Did you know that they dated, after your dad and I broke up?" Kim asked quietly.

Annie nodded. "Uncle Jay told me," she answered equally as soft.

Kimberly snickered. "Of course he did," she said bitterly.

"So you don't like Kat because her and dad dated?" Annie dared to ask.

"No. I like Kat. I just . . . you know what? Forget it. This is stupid. Why do I care? Why am I sitting here, complaining to my daughter?" Kimberly asked rhetorically.

Annie bit her lip as she watched her mother talk to herself for a moment, rationalizing her paranoia and jealousy much like Tommy had.

"I mean, I have Mason, right? And just because you're Tommy's daughter doesn't mean I have to _be with_ Tommy, right? I mean, he's an adult, Katherine's an old friend . . . it's not unheard of for old friends to see each other again . . . _date again_ . . . whatever . . . right?" She continued, her voice growing more agitated by the second.

Annie nodded, although Kimberly wouldn't have noticed it anyway, she had begun wiping down the counter top . . . _again._ Kim kept referring to Annie as she spoke, ostensibly including her in the conversation. But at the rate Kimberly was speaking, Annie was doubtful she'd get a word in edgewise anyway.

"I mean, just because we have a responsibility to you, doesn't mean we necessarily have a responsibility to each other, right? It's not like we have to tell each other when we're seeing other people. I mean, I wouldn't do that. _I didn't do that._ I shouldn't have to, am I right? And it's not like Tommy cheated on me with Kat, we were already broken up. Of course, she totally liked him when we were still dating . . . and he definitely thought she was cute . . . but that doesn't even matter anymore. Listen to me . . . acting like I care . . . I mean I saw how jealous Tommy was of Mason, and I just kept thinking . . . wow. Why would he be jealous? Well, I guess he's not too worried about me anymore, huh? Guess he's not mad about us not staying with him over Christmas anymore! Well good. I'm glad Kat could come back and distract him. Gets him off my ass, right? I'm happy. I really am. I'm happy for him, Kat's a nice girl . . . a little too . . . blonde, for my taste . . . but nice. That's just what he needs. A nice, _blonde_ girl . . . " Kimberly rambled maniacally, practically scrubbing the linoleum off the counter as she continued to wipe the same spot.

Annie just sat amazed. Her mother was jealous. Finally and undoubtedly jealous. Jason's plan had worked. The question now was . . . how would Jason and Annie get Tommy and Kim to admit their jealousy to each other without incriminating themselves?

Because of course, there was no email from Billy. Katherine had never actually come into town, seen a movie, or had dinner at the house. Jason had made the whole thing up, directing Annie on what to do and what to say.

And Annie had delivered the script beautifully. Kim was definitely jealous, and so was Tommy.

Although Tommy had a substantially more valid reason to be. At least Kimberly's paramour actually existed.

Jason had merely suggested the one person that fueled all of Kimberly's insecurities about men. Everything else was Kimberly's own ego. For years, Kimberly had always been the one that boys had crushes on. Then, when Trini blossomed, boys started crushing on her too. But with Trini it was different. They never attracted the same men, nor did they pursue the same type either. So when Katherine came along and was immediately attracted to Tommy . . . Kimberly became guarded. Add that to the fact that Tommy undeniably found Katherine attractive as well, and Kimberly instantly felt threatened.

When Kimberly broke up with Tommy, the last thing on her mind was whether or not Tommy would find someone else. But he did, with Katherine. Of course, Tommy would have never even given Katherine a second glance if he had remained with Kim. Regardless of how attractive he found her to be.

It had always been an awkward subject. Even at Trini's funeral, where Katherine had seemed unusually attached to Billy. The brief moments Kim had stolen in Tommy's direction and seen him talking to Kat, seeing how close they had remained, it broke her heart.

Annie had to keep Kimberly from talking directly to Tommy. She knew her dad well enough now to know that as long as he remained annoyed, he'd avoid contact with Kim until he was over it. But Kim . . . her mom would definitely shoot her mouth off to Tommy, just so he knew her disapproval.

"I'm gonna go put the clothes in the dryer," Annie said quickly as the washer sounded its completion.

Kimberly looked up, startled. She had been so engrossed with her thoughts, she had forgotten Annie was there.

"Okay," she mumbled, finally giving up the cleaning and folding the dishcloth over the edge of the sink.

As Annie was loading up the dryer, Kim walked in and leaned against the doorway.

"How did she look?" Kim asked sadly.

Annie shot her mom a surprised look. She hadn't thought about what Katherine would look like, seeing as she hadn't _really _reappeared.

"Umm . . . you know . . . blonde, tall . . . " Annie stuttered.

Kimberly gave a laugh in spite of herself. "Did she look good?"

Annie swallowed hard. Kim was asking her questions she hadn't planned for. What should she say? Telling her mom that Katherine looked great would only send her reeling. And they were running out of things to clean. But if she told her that Katherine looked bad, it could negate the entire plan.

"Umm, she looked the same," Annie finally said. Kim gave a curious look as Annie amended her statement.

"I mean, from what I remember of her," she said, smiling with a shrug.

Kim nodded and gave Annie a sad smile. "Yeah . . . " Kimberly breathed, thinking to herself.

There was more to Kimberly's jealousy than she could explain to Annie. Kimberly had always felt replaced by Kat. Not that any of this was Katherine's fault. But Kimberly couldn't help but feel like a second fiddle.

Katherine had the body Kimberly never had; tall, curvy. Katherine had the looks Kimberly never had; crystal blue eyes and long, blonde hair. She had a gloriously appealing voice, with her Australian lilt that made everything sound like honey. Katherine took her place as a Ranger, and then of course . . . she took her place as Tommy's girlfriend.

All of her own admirable qualities suddenly felt cheap and arbitrary in comparison to Kat. The blonde amazon had been abroad, studying dance and accomplishing a life long dream. Kimberly had left everything behind for the Pan Globals and never even got to compete.

There were a lot of things Kimberly had overcome, mistakes she had finally come to terms with . . . but the idea of Katherine always left Kimberly feeling sad and guilty. Most likely because, Katherine _was a nice girl._ She was a friend, who hadn't done anything wrong. But Kimberly's pride was just simply too mighty to forget.

"Well, I better get back to grading papers for tomorrow," Kimberly said finally, giving Annie a kiss on the forehead before padding back to her room.

Annie gave her mom a weak smile and watched her mom close the door behind her. Once Kimberly was out of sight, Annie shut the dryer door and ran to her room, grabbing the phone and locking the door.

After a couple of rings, a man's voice answered on the other end.

Annie's eyes lit up. "Uncle Jay? She bought it."

_**AN: AGH! I'm evil, evil, evil. Well, here was a slightly sadder chapter, but it had some funny moments. Especially hearing Kimberly's cattiness. Anyway, what happens now as the holidays draw closer and closer??? Find out next time! Please Review! Catch ya on the flip side!**_


	22. Glass House

_**AN: So, two weeks have passed. What's been going on since then? We get some flashbacks and insights, and a sign of things to come. Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse **_

_**Chapter 22  
Glass House**_

_December 17__th__, 2007  
Kimberly's House  
4:30pm_

"Kim, I think Jason's here," Mason offered as he glanced out the window. Kim looked up and nodded, confirming Mason's observation.

Mason had stayed over at Kimberly's repeatedly for the last two weeks, much to Annie's chagrin. Mason was becoming more familiar with the house, and consequently with her and Kimberly.

Jason had intercepted the duties of picking up Annie and dropping her off when necessary, as to avoid Tommy and Kim finding out about his dastardly ruse.

Tommy willingly shirked the responsibility to Jason. As the holiday season drew closer, Tommy only became more stubborn toward Kimberly and her decision to bail on him for her boyfriend.

Kim, on the other hand, ripped into Jason two sundays ago when he came to pick up Annie.

"_Oh, I guess Tommy's spending too much time with Katherine to pick up his own daughter!" she snapped as Jason barely stepped out of his truck._

_Jason smirked. "Oh Kimmie, don't be jealous," he sang sweetly, reaching out for a hug._

_Kimberly swatted his arm away and pointed a stern finger in his face._

"_Did you honestly think I wouldn't find out?" Kimberly asked threateningly._

"_Did you honestly think I cared if you found out?" Jason asked back, mockingly._

_Kimberly's eyes widened in disgust. "Of all the people, Jason!" she bellowed._

_Jason was laughing, despite Kimberly's deathly glare. "Why do you care?" he challenged._

_Kimberly huffed and crossed her arms. "You wish," she said pointedly before spinning on her heels and returning to the house. Jason just laughed as he followed Kim inside._

Annie hadn't been kidding, Kimberly really had bought it, and it was driving her crazy. She was now practically forcing Mason down everyone's throat, "running for mayor" with a campaign that showcased what an amazing man he was, _incomparable._

Jason still didn't like the guy, and Annie was beginning to feel the same. A few minor incidents had occurred over the past two weeks that Annie hadn't felt the need to mention to anyone, but that still irked her.

First, was the residual Katherine affect that Kimberly still felt, and she brought her frustration to Mason. He, who had never met Kat, nor understood the complexity of Kimberly's insecurity, only saw Kim's ranting as an interest in Tommy.

"_Why do you care?" Mason shouted, Jason's words echoing in her head. Kimberly stared Mason down._

"_Because I do!" she screamed back. Mason rolled his eyes._

"_You're pathetic," He chided._

"_He's the father of my child!" she defended._

"_Yeah, well I'm your boyfriend!" he added boldly._

"_You wouldn't understand!" she railed._

"_An old boyfriend that you barely dated is seeing his ex girlfriend and you're jealous! What's not to understand?" he scoffed, shaking his head._

"_It's complicated!" she whined._

"_Whatever. I'm getting the hell out of here," he said, grabbing his keys and striding toward the door._

"_No, Mason! Please don't go!" Kimberly pleaded, running after him._

"_When you get over your little tantrum, give me a call," he called out behind him._

"_I'm over it! I'm sorry! Please, Mason!" she gasped, grabbing his arm._

_Mason sighed. He turned back around and faced Kim. "I don't want to compete for your affection," he said simply._

"_You don't have to, I promise," she said softly._

"_Tell me I'm the one you want," he commanded gently._

"_You're the one I want," she repeated obediently. Mason smiled and tossed his keys to the side, grabbing Kimberly in a tight embrace and kissing her._

Annie remembered listening to their conversation through her bedroom door. It sickened her. One minute Kimberly would stand her ground and the instant Mason threatened to leave, she'd submit. Annie was embarrassed and disgusted.

The second incident that occurred, happened with Annie.

Mason, who had taken it upon himself to bring over a various assortment of clothes now that he was a regular guest, decided to commandeer the washing machine. Upon seeing her own damp clothes piled onto the dryer, Annie investigated and found Mason's laundry safely inside the washer.

Annoyed and insulted, Annie ran to her room, grabbed the nearest pen and crushed it with her foot. Bringing the leaky utensil back to the pantry and tossing it into the wash, running the cycle once more.

After the wash had completed, Annie rinsed the machine, loaded her clothes back in after tossing Mason's into the dryer and started both loads. When Mason came back to check on his laundry, he was livid. Pointing his finger at Annie.

"_What happened to my clothes?" he screamed in outrage. Kim ran into the pantry, staring at the ink-stained shirt Mason held up in front of him._

"_I'm sure we can get that out," Kimberly offered meekly._

"_Where's Annie?" Mason demanded. Kimberly gave him an offended look. _

"_You think Annie did this? You probably just left a pen in your pocket and it leaked, that's all," Kimberly scolded._

_Mason glared at her and threw his shirt back into the ruined pile. "Do you think I'm stupid enough to keep a pen in the pocket of clothes that I'm going to wash?" he asked her incredulously._

_Kimberly looked down and shook her head. "Where is she?" he said again, padding down the hall to her room._

_Kimberly chased after him. "I'm sure she didn't do it on purpose!" Kimberly reasoned angrily._

"_Where are you? Where are you, you little brat?" He shouted, busting into Annie's room._

_Annie jumped up from her desk and backed into the wall, startled. _

"_Come here and apologize for ruining my clothes!" he commanded, standing in her doorway._

"_Mason, don't you dare yell at her!" Kimberly fought back. Mason glanced over his shoulder and gave Kim a harsh look._

"_Teach your daughter some respect for other people's things and I won't have to!" he challenged._

"_Don't yell at her!" Annie screamed, taking a brave step forward. Mason shot his head back toward Annie._

"_Is this how you treat your mom's friends?" he asked sharply._

"_Is that how you treat your girlfriends?" Annie dared to say in return._

_Masons' eyes blazed as he stared Annie down. "That's none of your business."_

"_She's my mom! It is too my business!" she snapped back._

"_Please! Both of you, stop it!" Kimberly begged from the hall._

_Mason steadied his breath and glared at Annie once more. "Why did you ruin my clothes?" he asked slowly._

"_You took all my clothes out to wash yours!" Annie said._

"_Annie!" Kimberly whined, giving her daughter an astonished face._

"_What? I didn't think that was fair!" she protested._

"_So instead of talking to me, you decided to stain of my laundry with ink?" he asked._

_Annie shrugged and crossed her arm defensively as Kimberly bit her lip nervously. But to everyone's surprise, Mason just laughed._

"_Fair enough. I'll remember to come to you next time," he said simply._

_Kimberly sighed gave Annie a sad smile. Annie shook her head and looked at Mason with confusion._

"_Well, I can't very well go to school like that, so I better pick up some new things," he added._

_Kimberly nodded and started her way back to the hall before Mason continued._

"_Kim, I think Annie should reimburse me," he suggested. Annie's jaw dropped as Kimberly spun around to face him._

"_What?" Annie whined._

"_No, Mason. That's not necessary, I'll pay for it," she said, walking back to him._

"_No, Kim. She needs to be held accountable," Mason reminded her, turning his focus from Kim to Annie._

_Annie snickered and crossed her arms once more._

"_I'm not mad anymore, Annie. It was my fault. It was rude and irresponsible of me to take your laundry out and put mine in and I apologize," he said calmly._

_Annie rolled her eyes as Kim squeezed Mason's hand and gave her daughter a grateful smile._

"_But it was also rude and irresponsible of you to ruin my clothes. I think it's only fair to pay me back," he added_

_Annie gave her mother a desperate look, but Kim merely nodded in agreement. _

"_Mason's just apologized Annie. I think you owe him the same," she instructed._

_Annie clenched her jaw tightly. "I'm sorry I ruined your clothes. I should have just come to you and asked you to wait until my load was done," she said through gritted teeth._

"_And how can you make it up to him?" Kimberly prodded. Annie sighed and begrudgingly grabbed her backpack, taking out her wallet and handing Mason a twenty dollar bill, the last of her allowance._

"_Thank you, Annie. Apology accepted," he said, bowing a little before giving Kimberly a kiss on the cheek and heading back down the hall._

_Kimberly smiled as she watched him go before turning back to Annie._

"_You'll make your money back in a couple of weeks," Kim told her with a sad smile as she turned and left._

_Annie's eyes were on fire as she ran to her door and slammed it shut, causing Kimberly to wince before continuing down the hall toward Mason._

_Annie slammed herself up against her door and slid down to the floor, crying and silently cursing._

"Hello? Is anybody home?" Jason called out, letting himself in. Mason and Annie entered the living room at the same time, stopping to allow the other the go-ahead.

Annie obliged and ran to her uncle, squeezing him tight.

"Hey snot face, where's your mom?" he asked teasingly as she released him and ran back down the hall to grab her things.

"She'll be right out," Mason answered, stepping further into the room to shake Jason's hand.

"How ya doin' Mason?" Jason asked guarded.

"Fine. How bout yourself? "

Jason nodded but said nothing. He had seen Mason repeatedly over the last two weeks, answering the door every time Jason came to pick up Annie. They had exchanged a polite banter, but neither man was remotely interested in getting to know one another.

"Hey everyone," Kimberly said breathlessly as she entered the room. She gave Mason a quick peck on the cheek before greeting Jason.

"Hey lil sis," he cooed, giving her a hug.

"Hey big bro," she said softly.

"Still mad at me?" he joked as they parted. Kimberly bit her lip and shook her head. Jason smiled, stealing a glance at Mason who eyed him cautiously.

"I'm ready, let's go," Annie said quickly as she bounded back into the living room. "Bye mom, I love you. I'll be back on Christmas Eve," she said in one breath, giving her mom a half hug and kiss on the cheek before sprinting out the door.

"Tommy promised her a puppy if we made it back before six," Jason joked, laughing at Annie's enthusiastic departure.

Kimberly laughed sadly and gave Jason one last hug and kiss before waving him goodbye. Jason gave a quick nod to Mason and headed out to the driveway.

Kimberly followed them, stopping at the front door. Mason slid up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist.

Annie and Jason climbed into the car and waved as Jason's giant red truck backed out and pulled away.

"This is going to be a great week. No school, no kids, nothing. Just you and me," Mason said cheerfully as slid his arms off of Kimberly and walked back inside. Kimberly remained, staring out into the driveway.

"Yeah . . . " she breathed quietly.

_**AN: WOW. I'm not saying much. I'd rather hear all of your opinions! Annie's at Tommy's for a week, what will happen to our characters until then? Find out next time! Please Read and Review! Catch ya on the flip side!**_


	23. Directed Devotion

_**AN: I apologize for the delay. Crazy times in the real world. Now, where were we? The holiday countdown officially begins! Annie spends the first week at Tommy's. How will things go? Find out below! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

**_Pulse  
Chapter 23  
Directed Devotion_**

_December 20__th__, 2007  
Tommy's House  
10:00 am_

By force of habit, and Annie's incessant singing, all three roommates were awake this morning despite it being the official beginning of winter break. Annie had no classes for the next three weeks, nor did Tommy, and Jason had decided to close down his dojo until after the new year.

"ARE WE READY?" Annie sang out cheerfully as she danced down the stairs and into the kitchen, where a slightly groggier Jason was sitting. Slumped over the kitchen table with a coffee mug in one hand and a piece of toast in the other.

"Must you sing?" Jason teased as he slowly chewed his breakfast.

"We're going shopping!" Annie chirped, wrapping her arms around Jason's neck and smiling. Jason just shook his head and started laughing as Tommy entered the kitchen.

"What could possible be this funny, already?" Tommy mused as he headed straight for the coffee as well.

"Look like we got another Kimberly on our hands," Jason groaned. Tommy rolled his eyes as Annie playfully slapped Jason's arm before grabbing a carton of juice from the fridge

"Ah! I take it you're excited about our shopping trip, then?" Tommy asked lightheartedly as he leaned against the counter.

Annie stuck out her tongue and closed the fridge once again, carrying her glass of juice over to them.

"Har, Har," she mocked, receiving an equally playful punch in the arm from Jason.

"How we doing this?" Jason asked before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Well, I thought we could all split up first. Annie, I'll give you my cell phone for the day. Then when we're ready to shop for the other, we'll pair up. Make sense?" Tommy asked.

Jason nodded as Annie bit her lip. "Umm, dad?" Annie started quietly as both men turned to her.

"I don't have any money," she said, lowering her head. Jason chuckled as Tommy smiled.

"Well, that's okay. You don't need to worry about that," Tommy assured her, winking as Annie's face relaxed.

"I'll help you too," Jason added, pinching her arm as she winced and laughed.

"What happened to your allowance money?" Tommy continued.

"Umm...I owed mom some money," Annie lied.

Tommy set his coffee mug into the sink and ran some water in it for a moment.

"Kim made you pay her back, now?" Tommy asked more to himself as Jason shook his head.

"What did you owe her money for?" Jason chimed in. Annie bit her lip and gave Jason a desperate look.

"Umm, chores that I forgot to do," she lied again. "Mom's got this new policy," she added quickly.

Tommy shook his head and turned back to face the table. "I need to throw my shoes on, how long does everybody need?" he asked the room.

Jason glanced at the clock on the microwave. "Run through the shower, and I'm done," he said.

"Like, ten minutes," Annie said. Tommy nodded and turned to leave as Jason and Annie stood up, rinsed their dishes and headed for their respective destinations.

_December 20__th__, 2007  
Reefside Plaza  
2:00 pm_

The trio had been at the mall for close to three hours already. Annie had already joined Jason and Tommy separately, and was now left on her own while Jason and Tommy shopped.

Normally, Tommy hated the mall. But something about the fact that he was shopping for his_ daughter_, made it more bearable.

Of course, he had anxiety about what to buy her. He had talked to Annie, trying to decipher if any of their conversations had alluded to something she'd want for Christmas. He even tried going through her room, seeing what she already had and deciding what she could use. The latter plan didn't work as well, for after five minutes of prying, Tommy felt uncomfortable.

Had he and Kimberly been on better terms at the moment, he'd have simply called her and asked what Annie wanted.

Jason had managed to get some info, but it was still meager. And as two thirty year old men, they had very little experience buying gifts for a young teenage girl.

"She mentioned she wanted to check out the dojo sometime," Jason offered as he and Tommy continued to wander from window to window.

"Does that mean she'd want something to get her started in the martial arts?" Tommy asked. Jason shrugged.

"I asked her how her guitar was holding up, but she said it was fine," Jason explained.

Tommy scowled and scratched his head as they stopped in front of a map.

"I don't even know which stores are for young girls," he said, shaking his head as he regarded the legend.

"Look for girl's names and words like _boutique_," Jason suggested as Tommy nodded.

"Okay, looks like we're gonna need to go back the way we came," Tommy said, indicating the map.

Jason nodded as the two men spun around and headed back down the same row of windows they had just passed.

"Can you believe Kimberly made Annie pay her back? It's a week til Christmas!" Tommy exclaimed, breaking the natural silence that had overcome him and Jason as they continued strolling.

"That doesn't seem like Kim," Jason added. Tommy snickered.

"Actually, I'm not surprised. Kim's selfish," he said simply. Jason stopped and rolled his eyes.

"And when have we ever known Kim to be_ that_ selfish?" Jason asked.

"Umm . . . do I really have to remind you?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"Oh come on, bro. Kim's gotten a lot better. But these past couple of weeks . . . I don't know . . . something doesn't feel right," Jason said, resuming his gait as they approached a new store.

"Yeah, it's called Mason," Tommy snorted.

Jason laughed. "I hear that," he said as they slowly entered the shop.

"Well?" Tommy asked as they surveyed the store, both feeling awkward and abnormally large amidst the tiny, girly clothing.

"Well, at least we know her favorite color," Jason mused. Tommy rolled his eyes and gave Jason's back a friendly pat as the two men began scanning the racks for suitable outfits.

On the other side of the mall, Annie was luckier, having almost completed her list she'd made up.

"New tie for Uncle Jay, candles and shoes for mom . . . " she muttered, looking through her bags once again as she rested on a bench.

"Chess board for dad," she added, smiling. The gift was her pride and joy. She had seen it in the window upon arrival to the mall, at a store called _The Gaming Ship_. It was a themed chess board, complete with dinosaurs and other creatures for the pieces.

A Tyrannosaurus Rex was the king piece, with a saber toothed tiger as the queen. The bishop and knight pieces were a pterodactyl and a mastodon, respectively. The rook was a triceratops, and the pawn a dragon type creature that Annie hadn't yet identified.

What Annie hadn't realized, was that the game was a Power Ranger dedicated creation. Certainly growing up in Los Angeles and Angel Grove she had heard of the famous super heroes, but hadn't been old enough to experience them.

Unknowingly, she had felt compelled to purchase the game for her father, knowing only his affection for the prehistoric animals the board was partly based on.

She set the gift back inside the bag and stood up, collecting her purchases in her hands and began walking toward her final destination.

Suddenly, a sharp pain hit her abdomen, causing her to halt and lurch forward. A tingling sensation enveloped her groin as she suddenly felt a viscous substance expel from her body. She took off like a bullet, rushing to the nearest bathroom.

Once inside, she threw down her bags and collapsed into the stall, staring down at herself aghast. She had gotten her period.

Tommy and Jason were leaving the fifth and final store they had found for Annie as Jason's cell phone went off.

Checking the number, Jason smiled as he reached for the gadget.

"It's Annie," he told Tommy as he answered. "Hey shortcake."

"Umm . . . Uncle Jay . . . I need your help," Annie's voice squeaked out.

"What's wrong?" Jason asked, suddenly becoming concerned. Tommy stopped and gave Jason a stern look.

"It's kind of weird," Annie said awkwardly.

"Where are you?" Jason asked again.

"Umm, I'm in the bathroom."

"Annie are you okay?" Tommy asked abruptly, grabbing the phone from Jason.

"Dad! I'm okay! I'm just . . . having some girl problems," she explained quietly. Tommy laughed to himself as he handed the phone back to Jason.

"Tell her to hold on," Tommy explained, backing away from Jason and heading toward the drugstore across the street.

Jason nodded and returned to Annie on the phone. "Where are you?"

Ten minutes later, a frantic Jason was holding all of their bags as the two men made their way to the restrooms where Annie had told them she was located.

Jason anxiously tapped his foot as Tommy calmly scanned the surrounding area. Finally, a young woman started to approach them. She smiled coyly at Tommy as she headed for the door before Tommy stopped her.

"Excuse me, miss?" he said gently. The young woman widened her gaze and gave him another smile.

"Could you give these to my daughter, it's an emergency," he explained, handing the woman a small plastic bag containing sanitary napkins.

The woman peered into the bag and gave Tommy a nod. "What's her name?" the woman asked.

"Annie."

"Annie. Got it!" she said, disappearing inside the restroom. Tommy sighed and leaned against the wall.

Jason gave him a concerned look and placed a hand on Tommy's shoulder.

"You're a champ, bro," Jason quipped.

Tommy laughed and shook his head. "I've had to do this for Kim before," he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"I can't believe Kim's not here for this," Jason added.

Tommy nodded. "Yeah . . . Annie's gotta be freaking out right now."

"Should we . . . ya know . . . discuss it with her?" Jason asked.

"With Kim? You can if you want. I'm sure Annie will let her know," Tommy said.

"No, I mean _with Annie_. I don't know a lot about this stuff," Jason clarified.

"I'll answer any questions she has but, Kim should really be the one to talk to her," Tommy explained.

Moments later, Annie and the young woman emerged from the restroom. The young woman gave her a hug as Annie slowly turned to face her dad and uncle.

"Thanks you guys," Annie said sheepishly. The young woman laughed and extended her hand to Tommy.

"I'm Meredith, by the way," she said as Tommy took her hand. "I'm Tommy. This is Jason, Annie's uncle," he told her, motioning to his friend.

"That was really sweet of you. She's gonna be fine. First time with this I take it?" she asked, amused.

Jason and Tommy nodded in unison. Meredith laughed and looked back at Annie. "We had a chat. It's all good. right?" she asked Annie.

Annie nodded and gave a pained smile as Meredith waved goodbye and disappeared back into the crowd.

"Thanks again, dad," Annie said, picking her bags back up as the trio began walking again.

"You're welcome. I'm sorry you had to have two clueless men to help you," he joked, giving her a playful nudge.

Annie bit her lip and smiled. "S'okay. At least you knew what to buy," she added.

Jason cringed and shook his head. "Can we leave the mall now? This whole situation is way too bizarre for me."

Tommy and Annie laughed, zeroing in on Jason's discomfort.

"What? I'm just becoming a woman, Uncle Jay," Annie chirped, giggling as Jason groaned and grimaced.

"Yeah, Jase. We're all in this together. Blood is thicker than water," Tommy added, wincing playfully as he and Annie laughed at his candid joke.

Jason shook his head and grumbled. "You guys are sick," he moaned, marching faster ahead of them.

Annie ran to catch up to him, her bags bouncing against her legs. "What's wrong, Uncle Jay? Is it your time of the month too?" she asked innocently.

Jason shook his head and began to hum to himself, blocking out her laughter.

Father and daughter continued chuckling as they made their way to the parking lot and starting loading their purchases into Tommy's jeep.

"How is this not more awkward?" Jason asked bewildered, jumping into the backseat as Tommy and Annie climbed into the front.

Tommy fastened his seat belt and turned the ignition. He turned to Annie and gave her a stern look.

"All right, no more jokes, got it?" he said, giving her a wink.

Annie muffled her laughter and nodded. "End of discussion," she said obediently.

Jason sighed and mouthed a silent _thank you_ before Tommy glanced back at him.

"No more jokes. Period," he said flatly, turning back to face forward as he pulled out of the lot.

Jason rolled his eyes as Annie busted into a fit of giggles. Tommy's mouth slowly curving into a smile as he offered his raised hand to Annie, who returned it with a proud high five.

"You two are precious," Jason grumbled as they made their way back home.

_December 22__nd__, 2007  
Tommy's House  
4:00pm_

"Is this gonna be like Thanksgiving?" Tommy reminded Jason as the former red Ranger fiddled with the tree stand.

"Would you relax? I've got it all under . . . CONTROL!" Jason yelped as the tree began to teeter. Tommy raced over and caught it just in time.

Jason sat back and laughed as Tommy shook his head. "You're ridiculous," he scolded his friend.

"You done wrapping all those presents?" Jason asked him, straightening himself up again.

"Almost finished," Tommy said, returning his attention back to the table.

"Remember to label them clearly. Your penmanship is for shit, bro," Jason teased.

Tommy shook his head as he laughed. "I _am _a teacher, Jase. I think I can label a few gift tags."

"Just remember my last name is Scott. SCOTT. Two T's . . . " Jason chimed, laughing.

"Is the tree done?" Annie asked suddenly, entering the living room with a handful of gifts.

"Almost cupcake," Jason said, still tightening the bolts of the stand.

"You can just set them on the couch for now," Tommy instructed. Annie nodded and placed her presents on the sofa.

"When do we get to open them?" she asked brightly, crossing over to the table to spy on Tommy's efforts.

"Hey, hey, hey! Get away from the table," he playfully scolded. Annie giggled.

"We were thinking around five tomorrow. How's that sound?" Jason said.

Annie pouted then smiled. "I want to open them now!"

"We have to take you back to your mom's on Christmas Eve as it is, sweetie. We need to make the holiday somewhat official," Tommy explained.

"Oh, fine . . . " Annie mockingly grimaced.

"Don't worry. It'll be tomorrow before you know it," Tommy assured her.

"Hey bro, have you gotten any more emails?" Jason chimed in, tightening the last bolt on the tree stand.

"Yeah, Adam and Tanya are coming too. They said they'd be honored and they're really excited to see Annie," Tommy explained.

Jason and Tommy had decided, at the last minute, to gather the old gang together for a new year's celebration in Reefside. Unfortunately, their late planning had left them with many unanswered invitations.

"I don't remember Adam and Tanya," Annie said.

"They remember you! You'll like them," Tommy told her.

"How many does that make it so far?" Jason asked, counting in his head.

"Eight. Zack and Aisha, Adam and Tanya, Me, you, Annie and Kim, I'm assuming," Tommy said.

Jason nodded, "What about Mason?" he asked carefully. Annie made a gagging sound as Tommy shot her a look.

"I guess it's unavoidable, huh?" Tommy said slowly. Jason shrugged and bobbed his head in agreement.

"It'd be kind of obvious if we didn't, bro."

"Annie, you okay with that?" Tommy asked her.

"I'll suffer through it," she supposed. Tommy laughed as Jason shook his head in amusement.

"Ta da!" Jason beamed as Tommy and Annie smiled. Jason proudly posed beside their modest Christmas tree, standing sturdy inside it's metal cage.

"Not bad, bro. Not bad at all," Tommy noted, nodding his head in approval.

"Can I put my presents under it now?" Annie asked anxiously.

"We gotta decorate it first, weirdo," Jason playfully admonished.

"Oh yeah," she remembered, smiling bashfully.

"Here. The new ones I bought today are in the bags. The old ones are at the bottom of the box," Tommy said, handing the items to Annie.

Annie carried the boxes over to Jason and began sorting through the ornaments.

"Ooh! I like these!" Annie cooed, twirling the silvery orb in her hand by the hook.

"Tasteful, Thomas," Jason smirked.

"I thought they were better than a bunch of random figurines scattered all over," Tommy explained with a shrug.

"You left _some_ random ones in here, dad," Annie told him. Tommy gave her a confused look and peered into the box.

He laughed as he pulled out a tiny pink heart picture frame ornament. "Jase, check this out," he said, handing it to his friend as he continued sorting through the other older ornaments.

Jason's eyes widened and he smiled at the item. Annie leaned over his shoulder and regarded the photo inside the frame with excitement.

"Is that you and mom?" Annie asked. Tommy nodded as Jason handed her the frame to inspect closer.

"We were about sixteen when we took that," Tommy told her.

"Wow. You guys look really happy," Annie said thoughtfully as she mindlessly dragged a finger over the photo.

"We were," he said absently. Jason snickered and continued to arrange the new Christmas balls around the tree.

"Here's another crazy one," Tommy said, handing it to Jason.

Jason laughed as he reached for the tiny trinket. Annie wrinkled her nose as she set the picture framed ornament down beside her.

"Was this from Billy?" Jason asked, already knowing the answer. Tommy laughed and nodded as Jason handed it back to him.

It was a miniature alarm clock Billy had constructed, set to announce important holiday reminders.

"Wait, wait. Listen to it," Tommy instructed as he pressed the button.

"_Buy presents,"_ the alarm spoke. Jason and Tommy laughed at the voice. It was Alpha 5's. Annie giggled at the sound, although she hadn't a clue who was speaking. It was still a humorous voice, regardless.

"Man, Billy must have really thought you were hopeless," Jason laughed.

"I was, bro. Do you remember the time I was supposed to pick up Kim from _my parent's _house and I forgot her there?" Tommy asked.

Jason bust out laughing and fell onto his back, nodding and choking in hysteria. Annie just watched on in amusement as her father and uncle reminisced.

"She was so pissed, bro," Jason said between breaths.

"I know! I drove all the way to her house and couldn't believe she wasn't there! I was like, 'where could she be?' and then it finally hit me that I had left her there!" Tommy said laughing through tears now.

"And Billy...put the...thing...on the thing...to remind you..." Jason gasped as he continued to laugh.

"Oh yeah, yeah, yeah! Let me see if I can find it!" Tommy said excitedly. Annie watched on with curiosity as her dad began pushing the alarm at a furious rate, snippets of dialogue cutting in between pushes.

Finally, Tommy found the message he'd been looking for. He stopped and smiled, holding the speaker out for Jason to hear.

"_Pick up your girlfriend. Pick up your girlfriend. Pick up your girlfriend." _the tiny alarm repeated.

Annie snorted. She hadn't found the story nearly as funny as the two men had, but it was kind of charming. Her dad's apparent forgetfulness was somehow refreshing.

"Were you really that forgetful?" Annie chimed in, having felt slightly left out of the conversation.

"I was awful," Tommy confessed.

"_Was?_" Jason joked.

"Put this on the tree. Just for laughs," Tommy instructed, tossing the alarm back to Jason.

"What about the picture frame heart?" Annie asked, holding the trinket up. Tommy gave her a sad smile and shrugged.

"Oh. I don't care, sweetie. If you want to put it up, that's fine," he told her. Annie nodded and climbed toward the tree.

"Just not in front," he corrected her before she could hook the ornament to a branch. Annie gave Jason a sly look and proceeded to tuck the frame on the side.

The trio continued to deck the tree until the last ball was placed and the star was fastened to the top. Annie excitedly began stacking her wrapped gifts under the Evergreen.

"Do you have any gifts ready, dad?" She asked anxiously. Tommy eyed her suspiciously but handed her the first few and took the rest for himself.

"No shaking, flipping, twisting or slightly tearing, got it?" he commanded playfully. Annie laughed and nodded.

"I don't want to ruin the surprise! I'm not gonna peek!" she insisted.

"I've still got a bunch of wrapping to do. I'll be sneaky and set mine out later," Jason told them, standing up finally and heading to the kitchen.

"Anybody hungry?" Tommy asked as he and Annie finished setting the gifts around the tree.

Annie raised her hand as Jason popped his head out from the kitchen and smiled.

"Pizza sound okay?" Tommy asked as the other two nodded greedily.

"Great. I'm gonna call. Annie will you set the table and Jase, will you run back up to my study and send my email for me? I left the browser open on Adam and Tanya's RSVP," Tommy directed.

Annie nodded and headed for the kitchen as Jason stepped back out, holding the door for the young girl.

"Is it just your reply to them? Do I need to send anything to Billy or Kat again?" Jason asked.

"You can if you want. It's just the opened window to Adam's address. Thanks, Jase," Tommy told him.

Jason nodded as he proceeded up the stairs. Tommy stacked the ornament boxes on top of each other and decided to stash them behind the tree for now. Fetching his cell phone from his pocket, he began dialing the number for the pizza. As he aimlessly wandered around the tree, he stopped at the picture frame heart. He gently lifted the token and stared at the photo inside, smiling sadly.

_**AN: Okay, so no major holiday drama...yet! Oh, just wait folks! Again, sorry the absence. I was on a roll there for a moment and life just caught up to me! Anyway, here's hoping I can bust out a few more chapters without any gaps! Please Read and Review! Catch ya on the flip side!**_


	24. Out of Range

_**AN: We get some more drama, see Kimberly once again, and prepare for another New Year's celebration. What will happen? Find out below! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 24  
Out of Range**_

_December 23__rd__, 2007  
Tommy's House  
6:30pm_

"Another one for Anna Banana," Jason called out, setting the present in front of the young girl. The trio had been opening presents and eating their modest pasta dinner simultaneously for the last hour or so.

"How did we manage to buy this much stuff?" Tommy asked, dumbfounded. Jason shrugged as he stacked a few more gifts in front of Tommy on the coffee table before bringing back a few more for himself and Annie.

Annie was the first one to open the next round of presents. She was already wearing the green down jacket and assorted necklaces Jason had bought her, alongside the multiple gift bows strategically stuck to her head.

"OH! No way!" She cooed in delight as she ripped open the paper and opened the unmarked shoe box. Inside, was a pair of black, stacked heel, lace up, platform boots.

"Like 'em?" Jason asked hopefully. Annie nodded ferociously and tossed the box aside, immediately working to unlace her Converse tennis shoes.

"These are just like Ani's boots!" she chirped happily. Jason snuck a glance at Tommy and gave him a thumbs up.

Tommy laughed as he opened his present.

"Jase, these are awesome," Tommy said as he regarded the brand new boxing gloves inside their bag.

"Check out the tag," Jason instructed as Tommy did so. His eyes widened in excitement as he saw what the coupon promised.

"You got me a new punching bag too?" Tommy asked. Jason nodded.

"Figured we could both use it. Set it up outside, get some extra exercise in," he offered.

"Thanks man," Tommy said, resting a hand on Jason's shoulder.

"You can pick the bag up anytime this week. It's already paid for, just waiting for someone to take it," Jason explained as Tommy nodded.

"Uncle Jay! Open yours now!" Annie playfully commanded.

Jason stuck his tongue out as he began slowly peeling the paper back. Annie pounded her fists anxiously against the couch as Jason kept his steady pace. Tommy chuckled and rose from his seat toward the kitchen.

"Oh! Nice! Who's the culprit?" Jason asked, holding the tiny toy up in the air. It was a boxing nun game, except the fighters were sumo wrestlers.

Annie giggled as Tommy reentered the room, laughing as Jason began commanding the plastic figures to heave forward.

"Annie and I both saw it, but she bought it. She was convinced you needed it!" Tommy told him.

Annie nodded and wrapped her arms around Jason's neck. Jason laughed and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"I do need it! It's going on my desk at work. Awesome gift!" he said.

"What else you have over there?" Tommy asked Annie, scanning the pile of boxes in her area.

"Let's open this next!" she said, pulling a long cylindrical tube from her pile of stuff.

"This is from your dad," Jason explained, rubbing his hands together as he stood up and went to the kitchen to fetch a beverage.

"Anybody need anything?" Jason asked on his way.

Tommy raised his hand and showed off his glass. "Just got something," he said. Annie mumbled a negative as she shook her head. She tore the sides down the tube and popped off the lid, revealing a poster.

She eyed the scroll suspiciously as she began to unravel it. Her eyes widened with glee as a toothy grin appeared.

"This is the best present ever!" she screamed. "Dad! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she echoed, running to his chair and collapsing in his lap.

Tommy laughed as Annie gave him a tight hug, still holding the poster in one hand.

"This is so perfect," she said absently, staring at the image before her. The poster showed a giant Ani Difranco, straddling a highway filled with cars, playing her guitar. Above the image, in bold letters it read; _ATTACK OF THE 5 FOOT WOMAN._

"So it was a good gift then?" Tommy asked jokingly. Annie gave him a bemused look and nodded her head.

"The more Ani gifts, the better!" she said. "Open more! Come on!"

Tommy laughed as Jason hurried back to his seat, both men scrambling to open their next gift.

Jason managed his first, a large box filled with Styrofoam peanuts. He began digging through the box as Tommy slid his next present closer to him and began opening it.

"What the–" Jason mumbled, trying to lift the object out of its container. He gave his friend a look before resuming his efforts.

"A cash register?" he asked. Tommy nodded dutifully as he paused mid rip.

"_You need that for work too, bro._ You've worked way too hard on that dojo to be using a notepad and calculator," Tommy told him.

"Well, thanks, bro. I mean, I wasn't expecting something so practical . . . but thanks!" Jason mused.

Annie giggled as she turned her attention to her father. "Hurry up with yours, dad!"

"Okay, okay. I'm going."

Tommy ripped the rest of the paper away and stared at the game box in front of him. Jason leaned over to see what the gift was and smiled.

Tommy continued to stare at the box, a sad smile rising to his lips after a moment.

"Where did you find this?" he asked softly. Annie bit her lip and smiled.

"The Gaming Ship," she replied. "It had dinosaurs on it," she added.

"And a dragon," Jason added cheekily, nudging Tommy's arm.

Tommy snickered as he flipped the box around to read the description. He was on a game board. Well, his old _zord, _was on a game board. As was Jason's. Did Annie know? Or had she just somehow known that he'd appreciate this gift like no other?

"Thank you, Annie. I love it," he said finally, extending his arms out for a hug. Annie obediently climbed over the couch and embraced him, ending up on the arm of the chair.

"Do you know much about the Power Rangers?" he asked his daughter.

"It's a Power Ranger chess game?" she asked, wrinkling her face. "I'm sorry. I thought it was just a dinosaur one."

Tommy laughed. "No, no. It's okay. This is great. You're Uncle Jay and I were . . . uh . . . big fans of the Power Rangers," he explained.

Annie looked to her Uncle as he nodded before returning back to her dad. "I still hear about them sometimes at school," she offered. "And sometimes mom talks about them."

Jason and Tommy exchanged knowing looks.

"Is it just like, being from Angel Grove that everyone knows about them?" Annie asked.

"That's a big part of it. And they were around when we were all growing up so, it's kind of hard to forget," Tommy explained.

"They were a big part of our lives," Jason added.

Annie shrugged. "I've seen pictures. So, I'm guessing that all these pieces go with a different ranger," she supposed, pointing to the box.

Tommy nodded and described each one. "Why is the T-Rex the king piece?" Tommy asked slightly offended.

"Cause the T-Rex was the king of the dinosaurs!" Annie answered happily.

"Cause the red Ranger was the leader," Jason chimed in, causing Tommy to roll his eyes.

"Well, this is clearly an old version. We should check to see if they've updated the game. You know, with a white tiger as the king piece," Tommy suggested innocently.

Jason laughed as Annie gave her dad a confused look. "They already have a tiger piece, dad!" she exclaimed, pointing to the yellow queen.

"They have a green dragon, what more do you want?" Jason playfully demanded.

"Was the green Ranger your favorite, dad?" Annie asked.

Jason busted out laughing and shook his head. "I'm getting a refill. Everyone still good?" he asked.

Tommy scowled as Jason crossed the room. "I liked the white and green Rangers, personally," he said.

"They were the best," he whispered to her with a wink.

Annie giggled as Jason snuck back up behind Tommy and leaned over.

"Don't let him fool you," Jason shot back, causing Tommy to jump in his seat. "He was a pink fan, all the way."

Tommy reached behind him and smacked Jason's arm as Annie stood up and laughed.

"You guys really liked the Power Rangers, huh?" Annie mused, shaking her head.

"We wouldn't be who we are today, without them," Tommy said serenely.

Annie shrugged and leaned back into the couch. "I wonder where they are now," Annie pondered absently.

Jason reentered the room and stopped beside Tommy's chair, considering Annie's thought.

"Probably went back to their normal lives," Jason offered as Tommy rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, Jase. Normal, uncomplicated lives, I'm sure," he scoffed. Annie gave her dad a confused look.

"What would you guys do if you were the Power Rangers?" she asked suddenly.

Jason and Tommy tensed up slightly, receiving the question with anxiety.

"Well . . . I'd probably be doing super hero things, ya know?" Jason said awkwardly.

"I'd be spending Christmas with my daughter," Tommy added sweetly, giving Annie another wink.

Annie eyed them both for a moment before busting into a fit of laugher.

"Yeah right, dad. Like the Power Rangers have children!" she squealed, holding her side as she continued to giggle into the couch.

_December 24__th__, 2007  
Tommy's House  
12:00pm_

"Peaches, you ready?" Jason called out, holding Annie's duffel bag. Annie came barreling through the hallway, overnight bag in hand.

"I'm ready," she sighed.

"Your dad's outside, let's get going," he instructed as she headed out. Jason followed, shutting the door behind him.

"You have your gifts for Kim with you?" he asked. Annie turned to face him, walking backwards as she nodded.

"Oh! Thank you for reminding me, Jase," Tommy said suddenly. Jason helped Annie load her bags into the jeep as they watched Tommy race back into the house.

After a moment, Tommy reappeared, holding a small, wrapped box and handing it to Annie.

"This is for your mom," he explained, holding a hand up to dismiss Jason before he could tease him.

"What is it?" Annie asked.

"Just a peace offering," Tommy noted as he climbed into the car. Annie shrugged as she too saddled into the jeep.

Jason stood before the car at the foot of the porch and waved them good bye.

"Merry Christmas, shortcake!" he called after them, Annie waving and blowing a kiss good bye.

_Kimberly's House  
2:15pm_

"Thanks for taking me this time, dad," Annie said solemnly. Tommy smiled and reached his hand out to stroke her hair.

"Hey, it's the holidays. We can be civil again, right? Besides, I have to ask your mom a few questions anyway," he explained.

Annie and Tommy climbed out of the car and unloaded her bags. As the made their way toward the door, Tommy felt his breath shorten slightly.

Annie went to turn the knob, but found the door locked. She looked back at her dad who merely shrugged. She tried the knob again, and still it remained locked. She accepted defeat and knocked a few times.

Finally, a surprised Kimberly answered the door.

"My baby girl!" she cooed, opening the door wider to allow her in. She grabbed Annie in a tight embrace before realizing that Tommy was standing there and released the girl.

"What are you doing here?" she asked quickly.

Tommy snickered and shook his head. "Umm, Merry Christmas, Kim," Tommy shot back.

"I'm sorry. I just, wasn't expecting you to be here . . . anyway . . . sorry. Come in, please," Kimberly stammered as Annie strode past the couple.

Tommy set Annie's bag down beside the door and carefully entered the house. Something had changed, although Tommy couldn't put his finger on it.

"How was your holiday?" Kim asked first, sitting gingerly in a chair.

"It was great. _Short,_ but great!" Tommy said truthfully.

"I heard Annie received a special visitor," Kimberly remarked. Tommy gave her a confused look before realizing what she meant.

"Oh! Yes, well . . . luckily I knew what to do this time," he said bashfully, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

Kimberly laughed in spite of herself. "I prepared you for life, didn't I?" she chirped.

The couple shared an endearing laugh before awkward silence took over.

"Umm, so . . . Jason and I are having a small get together with the old gang for New Year's," Tommy chimed in.

"Really? That's great," Kimberly said frigidly, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"You're invited, of course," he added. Kimberly's eyes widened.

"Oh. I don't know . . . "

"Mason's invited too, and I thought you could bring Annie back with you," he further explained.

Kimberly shuddered slightly and bit her lip. She gave him a sad smile and nodded.

"Thanks, that's really nice of you. Maybe I could drop Annie off for the party," she said.

"But you're not coming?" he asked. Kimberly shook her head.

"I don't think so. Mason's already made plans for us," she said quietly.

Tommy snickered and nodded. "Oh. I see," he mumbled, lowering his head.

"Is everyone coming?" she asked.

Tommy remained concentrated on the ground as he answered. "Umm, Adam and Tanya are coming. Zack and Aisha are coming–" he began before Kimberly cut him off.

"Billy? Katherine?" Kimberly asked carefully.

"I don't know, I haven't heard from either of them," he answered.

Kimberly eyed him suspiciously. "That's weird. Why haven't you heard from Kat?" she wondered more aggressively than she intended.

Tommy looked up and gave her a confused look. "I don't know why . . . I haven't been able to reach her or Billy at all," he explained innocently.

"Maybe she's having an affair?" Kim offered bitingly.

Tommy laughed at Kim's innocuous comment. "Yeah . . . maybe," he agreed.

"Is that so hard to believe?" she asked him, rising in her seat.

Tommy gave her a pained expression before shrugging. "No. I guess not. I just never thought Billy and Kat would ever actually get together," he explained.

"Why not?" Kimberly pressed on. Tommy was becoming irritated quickly. He didn't understand Kimberly's point in asking all these questions.

"Billy's always liked Kat but he never said anything. I mean, I know that they've spent a lot of time together but, I'd think I'd know if something was going on between them," he rationalized.

"Cause you're Mr. Super Sleuth, aren't ya, Tommy? We all know how aware you are of things happening around you!" Kimberly teased, her tone becoming more vicious.

"Kim, what's your point?" he asked finally.

"Look, all I'm saying is that if Kat wanted to cheat on you with Billy, she could. You'd never even notice," she blurted out.

"What?" he asked in confusion.

"I mean, just because she has you doesn't mean that she doesn't think about other guys from time to time," Kim added.

Tommy approached Kim and held up his hands in protest. "Kim, what are you talking about?"

"You're not God's gift to women."

"Kim!" Tommy barked.

"Please, don't!" she shrieked, instinctively holding her arms to her face, blocking a strike. Tommy's eyes widened in horror as he stepped away from Kim and dropped his hands to his side.

"What was that?" he asked, amazed.

Kimberly's breathing was shaky as she pried her arms apart slightly to regard Tommy's face. After a moment, Kim steadied her breath again and slowly dropped her defensive stance.

"Did you think I was going to hit you?" he asked, still in shock.

"You came at me so quickly," she reasoned, smoothing her hair back in place.

"What was all that about me and Kat and Billy?"

Kimberly gave him a sickening look and snickered.

"I just thought you'd want to keep better tabs on your girlfriend," she jabbed.

Tommy laughed to himself. "Who? Kat?" he asked incredulously. "Kat and I aren't dating," he scoffed.

"Well, it sure sounded like you two were cozy once again," she snapped.

"Where in the world would you get an idea like that?" Tommy asked again.

Annie stopped dead in her tracks as she picked up the last bits of conversation from the hall. Her eyes widened in terror as she tried to think of a diversion.

"Mom! This is for you! Sorry, I forgot to give it to you before," Annie said out of breath, holding the gift from Tommy and handing it to Kim.

Tommy shrugged and shook his head and Kim took the gift and gave Tommy a pathetic look.

"Thanks," she said weakly. Tommy only nodded.

"What's going on?" Annie asked innocently.

"Your dad was just leaving. Give him a hug and thank him for a wonderful holiday," Kimberly instructed quietly.

Tommy reached out his arms as Annie crept over and embraced him. Kimberly turned away, stealing a small glance over her shoulder as the father and daughter smiled and laughed to each other.

"See you later, sweetie," Tommy said to the girl before looking back up at Kim.

"Bye, Kim. Think about New Year's. We'd all love to have you there," he said sadly before waving a goodbye and seeing himself out.

Kimberly ran to the door once Tommy had left and slammed it shut behind him. Tommy winced at the sound but shook his head and headed back to his car.

Back inside, Kimberly's muffled tears were making Annie uncomfortable.

"Mom? What's wrong?" she asked.

Kimberly furiously shook her head and covered her mouth with her hand. That's when Annie noticed something.

She slowly approached her mom and tilted her head to observe her better.

"Mom?" Annie gasped, lifting Kimberly's sleeve to reveal a large bruise on her upper arm. Kimberly's cries were unleashed as Annie accepted Kimberly's embrace, holding her tight as the older woman continued to sob into her shoulder.

_**AN: So, a little more drama . . . slowly approaching even more drama! New Year's looms over their heads once again. What will happen next time? Please Read and Review! Catch ya on the flip side!**_


	25. Falling is Like This

_**AN: Thank you all so much for your reviews. I know some readers were shocked to see Kimberly accept Mason's behavior, but I can assure you . . . it's all for a reason. Thank you again for all the feedback. Now, on with the story. This chapter begins right where the last chapter left off. Please Read and Review! Enjoy.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse **_

_**Chapter 25  
Falling is Like This**_

_December 24__th__, 2007  
Kimberly's House  
2:45pm_

A loud knock came from the front door, startling Annie and her mother. Kim's eyes widened as Annie pulled her up and away from the door. Mason's voice could be heard on the other side.

"Kim? Why is the door locked? Kimberly? I know you're home. I can hear you! Kim! Please open the door, baby."

Annie's jaw tightened as she turned to face her mother. Kimberly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and smooth down her hair before approaching the door.

"Mom!" Annie called out in a harsh whisper.

Kimberly gave her daughter a threatening look. "Say nothing. You hear me? I can handle this," Kim commanded.

Annie rushed to block her mother from answering the door.

"Why is he here? There's nothing to talk about!" Annie protested.

"Kimberly? Please open up! Look, I'm sorry about what happened! Just, let me in so we can talk, okay?" Mason said once again through the door.

"This is between me and him," Kimberly said firmly. "Go to your room."

"I don't want to leave you here with him!" Annie pleaded, but Kimberly extended her arm and pointed sharply to the hall. Annie huffed and ran off with a stomp, only to hide in the pantry instead.

Kimberly took a deep breath and unlocked the door. As the panel swung open, Mason's pathetic face stared back at Kim.

"What do you want?" Kimberly barked.

"May I come in?" he asked softly.

Kimberly gave him an icy glare before granting him permission. Mason nodded weakly and entered the living room.

"What do you want?" Kimberly asked again, shutting the door behind her.

"I wanted to apologize for what happened the other night," he said.

"You already said you were sorry," she reminded him.

"Well, I'd like to say it again," he told her, slowly walking toward her.

Kim held her hands up and backed away. "Don't touch me," she warned, shaking her head.

Mason groaned and scratched his head. "Damn it, Kimberly! I'm not a bad guy!" he snapped.

"I don't care what you are. I don't want you touching me, ever again!" she challenged.

"This isn't how I wanted to spend my Christmas," he mumbled.

Kimberly gave him an incredulous look before shaking her head. "You think _I _wanted to spend my Christmas like this?" she scoffed.

"Kim, I just got frustrated, that's all. I grabbed you tighter than I meant to, and I'm sorry," he explained.

Kim shook her head and crossed her arms. "No. You didn't get what you wanted, and you took it out on me," she corrected him.

Mason sighed. "Oh come on, Kim. That's not true and you know it," he snickered.

"Look, why don't you just leave, okay? Apology accepted," Kim said finally, heading for the door to see him out.

"I'm not leaving until I know you're not afraid of me," he said.

"Afraid? No, Mason. I'm not afraid of you. _Mad at you_, yes. Now, could you please leave so my daughter and I can spend Christmas together?" she asked snidely.

"Annie's here?' Mason asked, suddenly scanning the room. Kimberly sighed and continued for the door.

"Does she know?" Mason asked again, becoming paranoid.

Kim stopped and spun around to face him. "No, Mason. She doesn't know anything," Kimberly chided.

"She didn't see the bruise, did she? Kim, she can't see that! That makes me look like a monster! Please, Kim! I can't have a student of mine thinking I'm some wife beating, maniac!" Mason pouted.

"Well, maybe you should have thought about that before you grabbed me like that," Kim blurted out.

Mason rushed her like a shot, grabbing her arms forcefully. "I am not a bad guy!" he pleaded. Kimberly's eyes widened as she felt his hands press into her battered skin.

"Mason, let me go!" Kim shouted. But Mason remained, shaking her slightly as he kept a hold of her arms.

"Why do you make me this angry? Why don't you just believe me when I tell you that I'm sorry?" he rationalized, tears forming in his eyes as Kimberly squirmed in his hands.

"Mason, let go of me!" Kimberly screamed. Mason released her in a furious shove, waving his arm around to swing at the nearest object.

Kimberly cowered and flinched as his hand collided with the coffee table, causing him to curse and clench his fist in pain. The books and the gift from Tommy that had remained unopened went flying across the floor.

Kimberly glared at him with fury as he continued to wince at his now swollen hand.

"Get out of my house!" she bellowed.

"Look what you made me do!" he shouted back at her.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" She commanded once more, scrambling to pick up the items that had scattered.

Mason massaged his hand as he seethed at Kimberly. Looking down, he noticed the tiny box and the tag that read

_To Kimberly, Merry Christmas._

_From Tommy._

"What the hell is this?" Mason asked suddenly, holding the gift up with his good hand.

Kimberly broke from her retrieval and looked up. "Give that to me," she directed, dropping the collected books onto the couch and holding out her hand.

Mason reared back and began ripping open the tiny present.

"Mason, you have no right. Give it back," she demanded.

"I knew I had a reason to be suspicious of you!" He sneered as he opened the box and pulled out the item.

Kimberly's eyes began to water as she recognized the trinket. A tiny, heart-shaped ornament, doubled as a picture frame, with an old photo booth picture encased inside.

"Why would he give this to you?" Mason asked.

"Just give it to me, please!" Kimberly pleaded.

"Why are you lying to me, Kim?" Mason demanded as he continued to hold the gift high above his head.

Kimberly brushed her bangs out of her face and stared him down.

"It's just a gift, Mason," she snapped back.

Outside Kim's house, an unassuming Tommy pulled back into the driveway. Annie had left her purse in his jeep. He hopped out of his car and grabbed the small pink bag out of the back seat and headed for the front door.

"STOP LYING TO ME!" Mason screamed, causing Kim to hold up her arms defensively.

"I'M GONNA CALL THE POLICE IF YOU DON'T GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Kim screamed back, braver than she felt.

"Fuck you, Kim," Mason said bitterly, tossing the ornament to the ground. Kimberly shrieked as the tiny object burst into pieces.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" Kimberly shouted. "I've had enough. I can handle your tantrums, but don't you dare think you can hit me or grab me like that and then break my shit!"

"I can do whatever the hell I want! I wouldn't have to do anything if you'd stop lying to me!" Mason shouted once again, approaching her ferociously.

Tommy burst through the door upon hearing the two adults screaming, and lunged toward Mason.

Kimberly screamed and threw herself into the wall, immediately bursting into tears. Annie managed to keep quiet as she saw her father dive for Mason. Unsure of what to do, Annie remained hidden in the hall.

"TOMMY!?"

"GET OFF OF ME!" Mason shouted as Tommy rolled him off his stomach and kicked him in the back.

Mason stumbled, his hands held out in front of him, grasping at nothing in an attempt to brace himself.

As Mason caught his balance, he spun around awkwardly and managed a jab to Tommy's stomach. Tommy lurched forward as Mason went for his face this time. Tommy ducked and squatted, stretching a leg out to trip Mason's oncoming attack. Successful, Mason tripped and fell onto his chin, causing him to moan and roll over slowly.

"Tommy, please stop!" Kimberly pleaded quietly.

Tommy said nothing, but remained focused on Mason. Mason quickly looked up and kicked his leg out toward Tommy, who caught it and yanked the blond man closer to him.

"LET GO OF MY LEG!" Mason yelled as Tommy released his leg and reached down, grabbing Mason by the shirt and lifting him back to his feet.

"You're a piece of work, you know that?" Mason taunted.

Again, Tommy remained silent, reared his arm back and flung a wide fist right into Mason's jaw.

Kimberly screamed again and took a frightened step forward. Mason groaned and flung Tommy's grip off of him, holding his mouth with the other hand. The two men were panting heavily, but had backed off finally. There was a moment of silence before Mason finally spoke.

"Knight in fucking shining armor, huh?" Mason mocked, swishing the blood around in his mouth as he spoke carefully.

"I hope you're happy, Kimberly," he said flippantly, spitting his losses from his mouth and onto the floor.

"Get out," Tommy seethed, his hands already back to a defensive pose.

Mason shook his head and glared at him. "You can't tell me what to do," Mason threatened, piking toward Tommy.

And in a flash, Tommy reached for Mason's collar once again and yanked, pulling Mason along as he dragged the man through the living room and out the door.

Mason landed on his back with a thud, kicking up dust as the driveway settled beneath him.

"If you ever touch her again," Tommy warned slowly. "I will kill you."

Mason scampered for a moment on the ground, trying to regain his footing as Tommy tossed the man's car keys at him and shut the door behind him.

He watched the window for a moment, assuring Mason's departure before spinning around and facing Kimberly.

The small brunette looked horrified and infuriated. Before Tommy could say anything, Kimberly ran toward him and slapped him in the face with a heavy sob and ran out of the living room.

Upon seeing her mother exit, Annie quickly scampered up to her room, hoping to avoid a collision. Once her mother's figure ran past her door, Annie padded back down the stairs quietly.

"Dad?" she whispered as she rounded the corner.

Tommy was seated on the couch, his head in his hands. He lifted his face upon hearing Annie's soft voice and stared back at her silently. His eyes red and swollen from newly shed tears.

He beckoned her with a wave of his hand, which she obediently obliged. Settling into his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Are you okay?" she asked with difficulty as her father's large arm engulfed her smaller body.

He shook his head against her shoulder, his muffled sobs dampening her shirt.

"Are you okay?" he asked suddenly, drawing her away from him to study her face.

Annie's eyes widened. "Yeah. He never touched me," she assured him.

Tommy nodded dutifully and hugged her once more. Relinquishing his hold, Annie gave her father a worried glance and walked to the kitchen, opened the freezer and gathered some ice inside a dish rag.

She brought it back to him and gave him a smile. He nodded and returned the gesture with a weak smile of his own, placing the cold compress on his cheek.

The two sat in silence for a while, processing what had just happened. Tommy's mind was reeling; the worst thoughts creeping into his mind. He wanted to ask Annie a thousand questions, and he wanted to talk to Kimberly . . . but based on her reaction, he had a feeling that any discussion would be futile at the moment.

Finally, Kimberly reentered the living room. Annie stood up as Tommy raised his head, breaking his thoughts.

The two adults stared at each other wildly for the longest time, trying to read one another. Annie sank into the background as quietly as she could, leaving them alone to expound whatever was to come.

Tommy was the first one to speak. He removed the ice pack from his face and set it on the table on front of him.

"Annie left her purse," he said quietly, standing up and crossing to the door where he had dropped the bag upon entering.

He grabbed the small pouch and spun back around to face Kim, who was now across the room, picking up random pieces of a shattered object.

Tommy cleared his throat and slowly walked back over to the couch and set Annie's purse down on the cushion.

"I should get going," he said, receiving no response. He nodded pathetically and turned toward the door.

"Tommy, wait," Kim said. He inhaled sharply and faced her once again. She carefully walked over to him and placed the broken ornament in his hands and gave a brief, consoling squeeze.

"I'm sorry it broke," she said flatly, removing her hands from his and spinning back around to leave.

Tommy quickly cupped the pieces in one hand and reached for Kim's wrist. She tightened as he grabbed her, but glanced over her shoulder to look at him.

Upon seeing her body tense, Tommy released his grasp and shoved his hand into his pocket.

"Kim," he began to say, before Kimberly shook her head and stopped him.

"I didn't need your help," she told him coldly. Tommy gave her a confused look.

"Kim, I wasn't trying to—"

"I can take care of myself," she snapped again.

Tommy's face turned from confused to annoyed.

"I know that," he said defensively.

"Then stop it."

"Stop what?" he asked incredulously.

"Stop trying to win me back with all these gifts and photos and things," she said.

"What?" he said, amazed. Kimberly glared back at him, still holding herself protectively.

"I don't need you," she said shakily.

Tommy could hear the crack in her voice, and snickered. Ready to say something regrettable and mean, he decided against it and simply nodded.

"Merry Christmas, Kim," he muttered, turning around and closing the door behind him.

Kimberly ran to the window and watched him walk to his car. She gasped slightly when he climbed in and stared back at her, tears in her eyes.

She could see him crying as he pulled away. She spun around and sank to the floor, tears overflowing as Annie listened from the landing, shaking her head in disappointed fury.

_**AN: Well? What do you think? What happens now? OMG! They're so close and yet . . . so far away! Why is Kim so stubborn? Pride is a dangerous thing. Or maybe it's fear. And how about that fight scene? Please Read and Review! Catch ya on the flip side!**_


	26. Heartbreak Even

_**AN: It's New Year's Eve once again! What happens now? What happened to Mason? Will Tommy and Kim ever make amends? Find out below! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 26  
Heartbreak Even**_

_December 31__st__, 2007  
Tommy's House  
9:45pm_

"Do you remember when Ernie gave us all champagne?" Adam asked the small group congregated in Tommy's kitchen.

Tanya, Rocky and Zack laughed along with Adam, reminiscing. The entire gang, including Katherine and Billy had made it to Reefside for the impromptu celebration.

While those four laughed and talked in the kitchen; Aisha, Billy and Tommy were seated in the living room, watching the festivities on television.

Jason and Katherine had stepped outside, most likely to get fresh air and to avoid any questions Tommy had come up since his last conversation with Kim.

Kimberly, as well as Annie, were still absent from the party. A fact that deeply disturbed Jason, and only infuriated Tommy even more. Tommy had immediately told Jason what had happened to him, upon Jason's concerned and frantic phone call. Annie had given her uncle the heads up as soon as Tommy left on Christmas eve, warning him to expect the worst. Fortunately, Tommy gave Jason no attitude, just a confused and bitter retelling of the evening's events. Jason vowed to hunt Mason down, much to Tommy's amusement. Then, Kimberly's comment rang in his head . . . making the want to intervene less desirable.

No one at the party had asked where Kimberly was. Most of the gang had heard all the past events through the grapevine, but were curious nonetheless.

Jason and Katherine returned inside, laughing and smiling as Kat approached Billy and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek before taking a seat beside him.

Jason smiled and nodded at his friends before signaling Tommy to follow him.

"Excuse us for a moment," he said to the group, Tommy begrudgingly walking behind him.

"Is everything okay?" Billy asked Kat as their two hosts disappeared. Kat shrugged and placed a consoling hand on Billy's shoulder.

"It's definitely gotta be about Kim," Aisha said, shaking her head. While Annie had been younger, and after Trini's death, Aisha and Zack had helped Kim to raise Annie, even allowing them to stay at their house in Los Angeles.

It had been several months since Aisha or Zack had heard from Kim. Neither was surprised to discover that she and Tommy had reconnected, but were experiencing problems.

"Last I heard, they had reconciled," Billy told Aisha, who opened her mouth to speak before Katherine interrupted.

"According to Jason, there have been some rather . . . unfortunate developments lately," Kat explained cryptically.

Aisha gave the blonde woman a cross-eyed look, while Billy remained composed, nodding at the statement.

"Kimberly's been seeing a gentleman from work, yes?" Billy asked for clarity. Katherine nodded.

"And what? Tommy's jealous? I'd have thought he'd have grown out of that by now!" Aisha scoffed.

"No, apparently this guy wasn't a good influence on Annie," Katherine tried to elaborate.

"What's going on?" Tanya asked, entering the living room. Zack, Rocky and Adam followed as the guests piled onto the couch, awaiting the return of their hosts.

"Jason and Tommy needed to talk," Katherine said.

"Something's totally going on," Zack said.

"I don't mean to be rude, but this party is kind of lame," Rocky added, receiving an annoyed smack from Aisha.

"Go eat something," she snapped, receiving a few pitiful laughs from the gang.

Rocky scoffed but obediently turned around and headed back to the kitchen.

"Are they talking because Kim's not here?" Adam asked quietly.

"I think Tommy's more upset that Annie's not here," Katherine mentioned.

"I hope I get to see her. It's been forever!" Zack said, collapsing on the couch next to Aisha, forcing Billy and Katherine to move over slightly.

"Why don't we just make ourselves comfortable? I'm sure they'll be back in a minute," Aisha suggested.

"Fine by me," Tanya said, heading for the kitchen to grab another drink.

"I'll come with," Adam added, following his fiancee.

"I could use a drink," Aisha said. "You want something?" she asked Zack as she stood. The former black Ranger shook his head.

"Billy? Katherine?" Aisha offered to her other friends, both of whom shook their heads. Aisha shrugged and followed the others into the kitchen.

Further in the house, Jason was trying to convince Tommy to call Kimberly, to no avail.

"She made it pretty clear, Jase," Tommy explained regretfully.

"You know she doesn't mean it," Jason scoffed. "She's calling your bluff."

"She actually thought I was trying to win her back! She even used those words!" Tommy insisted.

"Weren't you?" Jason posed, leaning up against the door.

Tommy shot Jason a cold look before shrugging. "No. Maybe. I don't know . . . I just . . . if our relationship suffers then my relationship with Annie suffers. I just want to make sure that we stay on good terms, that's all," he explained.

Jason smirked and laughed. "Well, if you don't have the balls to call her, I will," Jason declared finally. Straightening up and pulling out his cell phone.

"Don't you dare," Tommy warned, stopping Jason's hand.

"Why not? You already invited her. And you wanna see Annie, right?" Jason mused.

"Fine," Tommy said in a low grumble. "I'm gonna go back out there. Everyone's probably talking about us," he mumbled.

Jason laughed as he began to dial. "No doubt," he supposed lightly as the phone began to ring.

Tommy reentered the living room to see everyone scattered about, making themselves at home.

"Hey guys," he offered with a bashful grin. Everyone turned to regard their once fearless leader and returned the gesture.

"Everything all right?" Katherine asked softly, approaching him with a tender hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah. I guess most of you already know what's been going on," he assumed.

The gang nodded and mumbled affirmations. "I'm glad you and Kim are finally speaking again," Adam said.

"Yeah, sorry things are kind of weird right now," Zack added.

"S'okay. Guess _everything_ can't go back to how it was, right?" he offered lightheartedly.

"Thanks for inviting us down, Tommy," Billy chimed in.

Tommy nodded as Jason reentered. "No one was answering. I didn't bother leaving a voice mail," Jason announced.

"Kim?" Tanya asked, settling into Adam's lap.

"Yeah. We've been trying to get a hold of her but no luck," Jason added.

_Ding Dong._

Everyone's eyes zeroed in on the door. Jason gave Tommy an amused look before opening the door.

"Hey there. Are we too late?" Kimberly asked meekly. Annie stood beside her, nervous but eager.

Jason smiled and reached for Kim despite her unconscious fidget and embraced her tightly.

The group stood up as Annie entered the house before her uncle and mother, with Tommy approaching.

Tommy put a proud arm around her shoulder and gestured to the gang.

"Guys, you remember Annie," he said shyly.

The group waved and slowly approached the girl, none of them wanting to bombard her. Annie smiled and gave a tiny wave of her own.

"Hi," she said simply as Jason and Kim slid up behind her and Tommy.

"Baby girl, you have grown!" Aisha cooed, closing the gap between her and her adopted niece.

"Hi Aunt Isha!" Annie said awkwardly as the short woman hugged her.

"Aisha, let her breath!" Zack chimed, receiving laughs from Billy and Katherine.

"I guess I'll hug you first then," Rocky said to Kim, scooting in between the others.

Kim managed a giggle as Rocky picked her up and spun her around in a tight circle. Jason and Tommy accommodated the welcoming party by moving further into the room. One by one, everyone embraced Annie and Kimberly, happy to have their old friend back to complete their little tribe and their newest member.

"You're an even split down the middle, ain'tchya?" Rocky asked Annie as he playfully tousled her hair. Annie returned the move with a shrug and a goofy smile.

"I guess so," she mused.

"No way, she looks like me," Tommy said, jabbing Annie playfully in the arm. Annie laughed and wrapped her arms lovingly around her dad.

"At least she's got my fashion sense," Kimberly joked, glad that everyone had forgiven the tension for the moment.

The group laughed collectively and dispersed once again, Tommy leading Annie into the kitchen to fix her a

non- alcoholic drink.

Billy, Aisha, Jason and Rocky joined them while Adam and Tanya took a break outside to enjoy the night air, leaving Katherine and Kimberly by themselves in the living room.

Katherine gave Kimberly a genuine smile and hugged her once more. The first embrace had been quick and forgettable, surrounded by the crowd. But this hug seemed strained, as Katherine could tell Kimberly was troubled by something and Kimberly knew instantly that Kat had been informed as to her current circumstances.

"I'm sorry to hear about everything that's happened," Katherine said, confirming Kim's suspicions. Jason and his big mouth. She knew her brother meant well . . . but Kimberly's esteem was in no shape to have Katherine, of all people, consoling her.

"Yeah . . . thanks," Kim said quietly. Kat's knowing smile left Kimberly assured that the rest of the gang knew enough about her situation as well.

"We're all really glad you came. And Annie too. She's grown up beautifully," Katherine offered, taking a gentle seat on the couch.

Kim followed, sitting uncomfortably on the edge. "Thank you. I'm really glad we came too. Tommy's been amazing with her . . . after everything . . . you know," she said sadly.

Katherine nodded awkwardly as the group from the kitchen reentered, Tommy carrying a platter in one hand and his drink in the other.

Kimberly shot up and brushed herself off as Katherine moved to help Tommy balance the food before spilling it.

The two laughed as Rocky came between them and stole a piece of ham from the tray, receiving yet another smack from Aisha.

Kimberly watched her old friends cavort as Annie nestled in among them, casually and with perfect ease.

Jason stole a glance at Kim as Adam and Tanya reappeared from the porch, settling down from laughter as they rejoined the group.

"Why don't we put some music on?" Jason suggested. The group nodded enthusiastically as Jason reached for the remote and pressed the shuffle button on the stereo.

"What time is it now?" Adam asked, retracing his steps to locate his drink before Tanya handed it to him.

"Ten thirty," Billy answered, glancing at his watch. Adam nodded, taking a small swig of his beer.

"Perfect. Let's keep the t.v. on mute, and watch that clock!" Jason instructed as Zack turned the volume down on the television.

"Now, let's boogie!" Zack commanded, holding his hand out for Aisha.

She obliged and began to shimmy along with him as Adam and Tanya slowly swayed to the up tempo music. Billy settled back onto the couch, content to watch his friends groove while Rocky stole Katherine away, simply wanting a dance partner.

Jason grabbed Annie, much to her embarrassment, and started to spin her around like a rag doll. Kimberly looked on, laughing in spite of herself. Tommy watched longingly before slowly making his way across the room toward her.

She stifled her laughter as Tommy stopped beside her and extended his hand.

"Want some fresh air?" he offered with a sad smile. Kimberly bit her lip and nodded, allowing him to lead them out to the front porch.

Once outside, and the front door closed behind them, Tommy offered Kim his hand once again and escorted her down the steps and onto the driveway.

"Where are we going?" she asked as she took his hand tentatively.

"Just around the property. I thought we could use the privacy," he explained plainly.

Kimberly recoiled her hand but followed him, nodding her head in understanding.

"Oh, I see. _That_ kind of fresh air," she mused bitterly.

Tommy chuckled, "I thought we could talk," he said simply, shoving his hands into his pockets as Kimberly wrapped her arms around her body while they walked.

"Okay," she answered absently, shivering.

Tommy glanced to his side and gave a small laugh, stopping in his tracks. Kimberly caught herself abruptly, not realizing he had halted.

"What are you doing?" she asked him incredulously as Tommy began to remove his dress shirt, leaving him in only a sleeveless muscle shirt underneath.

"You're cold," he told her.

"I'm fine," she argued as he started to wrap the shirt around her shoulders.

"No, you're not. Take it," he directed her before she attempted to push the cloth away from her.

"I'm really okay, I'll get used to it," she insisted.

"No, you won't. Now, stop fighting me and just wear the damn shirt," he chided as he yanked the shirt down onto her small body.

She snickered as he straightened it onto her shoulders before commencing their walk.

"Now . . . what were we talking about?" he asked.

"Nothing . . . yet," she answered.

"Oh yeah. I'm sorry," he said dryly.

Kimberly's eyes widened. "Sorry for what?"

"For intervening. It wasn't my place. I shouldn't have attacked Mason like I did."

"Okay . . . "

"And I'm sorry you thought that my friendly gestures were hints at me trying to win you back," he added.

Kimberly stopped at this and stared at him. Tommy continued walking for a moment before he realized that she was behind him. He turned and looked at her.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"You weren't trying to win me back?" she asked him suspiciously.

"Nope. I just wanted to maintain a healthy friendship for Annie's sake," he explained cooly.

"For Annie's sake?" she echoed, unbelieving.

"Yep. So again, sorry," he said.

"You're _not_ trying to win me back?" she asked again, narrowing her gaze.

Tommy sighed lightly and shook his head, his hands still in his pockets.

"Nope."

"Why not?" she suddenly asked, surprising them both.

Tommy smirked and gave her a confused look.

"Why would I?" he challenged.

Kimberly bit her lip and scoffed. "Well . . . not like I want you to, it's just . . . I mean it was fairly obvious that you were jealous of Mason," she stammered, grasping at straws.

To this, Tommy laughed out loud. "Was I?"

"Weren't you?"

Tommy thought about the question for a moment then shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess I was," he answered truthfully. Kimberly's mouth stood agape.

"You were?" she asked in amazement.

"Didn't you just bate me to that answer?" he laughed.

Kimberly shook her head and grimaced. "Why were _you _jealous of _Mason_?"

"Kim, I think you know why. And I'm not giving you the satisfaction of telling you," he told her dryly.

Kimberly bit her lip and wrinkled her nose. She was absolutely elated. She and Tommy hadn't had this kind of banter in a long time.

Tommy didn't know what had possessed him to be so forward, so suddenly. But he figured he had nothing to lose, he might as well, taking only a silent oath to answer her as truthfully as possible.

"I should apologize," she said awkwardly.

"You should?" Tommy asked, knowing exactly the reason Kim spoke of.

"Yes. And I should thank you, too," she added, tucking a loose hair behind her ear.

"Wow. Sorry _and thanks_! We've come a long way since Christmas," he teased.

Kimberly rolled her eyes. "I didn't handle it appropriately," she reasoned.

Tommy shrugged. "Well, I admit, I wasn't expecting you to slap me. But like I said, I shouldn't have just barged in and taken over," he told her.

Kimberly shook her head and lowered her gaze to the floor, changing her tone. "He's gone," she revealed quietly.

Tommy's smile dropped as he watched Kimberly softly begin to cry.

"He's like, gone for good. I can't believe it," she repeated to herself.

"Kim," Tommy started before Kimberly continued.

"I tried so hard to make him the right guy, ya know? I wanted us to work so much. And I knew. I knew he didn't like Annie, I knew he thought she was in the way. But I thought I could change his mind. I knew he didn't like Jason and that he was suspicious of you but he always said he had his reasons. And I believed him. Or at least, I wanted to believe him. I am so embarrassed and ashamed that I let his bullshit control me for this long. I mean, we only saw each other for four months but it felt like forever."

Tommy kept quiet as Kimberly rambled on, lost in her thoughts. He watched her fidget and play with her hair and the hem of her dress. It was the first time in a long while that Tommy could remember actually noticing her.

She looked smaller than he remembered. A simple, short, black dress that clung to her petite frame. Her hair, still long and brown, was piled high on top of her head. She was still wearing his shirt, bundled onto her shoulders and scrunched inside a fist as she held onto the garment. She looked beautiful, if not sad.

"Why do I just keep going from mistake to mistake? Will I ever learn?" Kimberly asked the air, breaking Tommy of his thoughts.

"Mason was suspicious of me?" Tommy asked suddenly, grimacing at his own awkward transition.

He had been listening, _intently _in fact, but that phrase had stood out to him. Maybe he was just preoccupied, having been brave enough earlier to admit being jealous of another guy, and he wanted the validation that he had made Mason jealous as well.

"Insanely suspicious," Kimberly told him with a groan.

Tommy couldn't help but smirk. "Why?" he asked, trying to hide his amusement.

"Cause you're Annie's dad and you came up in conversation a lot, naturally," she justified.

"I did?" he asked dreamily.

Kimberly gave him a stern look and shook her head. "Then of course, you started sending me photos and gifts and_ peace offerings _or whatever you want to call them," she reminded him.

"So, Mason thought I was trying to move in on his girlfriend?" Tommy posed, receiving an exasperated nod from Kim.

"Well, to be fair . . . it's not like I threw the gifts out or anything. I treasured them. Thank you again," she said softly.

Tommy smiled bashfully and nodded. "You're welcome."

"I still can't believe he broke that ornament," Kimberly said to herself, shaking her head as she recalled the past event.

"S'okay. The picture wasn't ruined," he assured her.

"So, does all of this mean we're friends again?" Kim asked suddenly.

"All of what?" Tommy asked, slightly confused.

"All of _this._ This talking, this flirting, _this!_" she exclaimed, gesturing around the two of them with her arms.

Tommy smiled and took a step toward her. "Flirting?" he asked cautiously. He just couldn't let that comment slip by.

Kimberly snickered and rolled her eyes. _He was such a shit, but a cute shit._

"Oh you know we've been doing it! Granted, tense and awkward . . . but yes. Flirting, just the same," she told him cheekily.

Tommy laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I guess I just needed it again," he said simply.

Kimberly's eyes widened. She was caught off guard by his admission. "Really?" she asked truthfully.

Tommy swallowed with difficulty. He had been brazen, but seeing Kimberly's genuine excitement made him anxious. He didn't know how he felt about her anymore. Well, truthfully, he did. He just didn't know how to_ deal_ with how he felt.

"I'm glad you and Annie came after all," he chose to say, giving her a small smile.

"Yeah," she said quietly, displaying her disappointed subtly. She bit her lip and glanced over her shoulder.

"We should probably head back inside," she added.

Tommy glanced at his watch. "Oh wow! It's almost eleven thirty!" he said, leading them back up the path.

"Were we really out here that long?" she asked more to herself. Tommy glanced over his shoulder and nodded as they stepped up onto the porch.

"Oh! Here," Kim said quickly, withdrawing the shirt from her body. Tommy stopped in front of the door and took the garment from her.

"Thanks," she added as Tommy gave her a smile and slipped the shirt back on.

The pair stepped back inside, receiving an unaffected reception from the crowd. Aisha and Zack were still dancing. Rocky, and Jason were in the kitchen, blending up more drinks. Tanya had managed to pull Billy off the couch and was trying to teach him some dance moves, while Adam, Katherine and Annie had begun a game of Balderdash and were focused on the board in front of them.

"Looks like we weren't terribly missed," Tommy said, amused.

Kimberly giggled and made a beeline for Annie, wrapping her arms around her daughter from behind.

"How's it going?" she asked as Annie gave her a quick squeeze in return.

"Your daughter is killing me!" Adam said in a huff. Katherine laughed as Kim smiled.

"I think we need to even the playing field. Would you like to join us?" Katherine asked.

Kim wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "No. Thanks though. I think I'm gonna sneak to the kitchen and see what the boys have concocted," she joked.

In the kitchen, Rocky and Jason we laughing hysterically, as they watched Tommy carefully try a sip of their cocktail. Tommy grimaced as the slushy substance ran down his throat and burned. He whipped around and immediately spat the liquid out into the sink and rinsed his mouth with water. Kimberly rounded the corner, causing the boys to pipe down.

"Having fun?" she asked them, crossing her arms delicately as she entered the room.

The three men looked up. Tommy wiping his mouth with a paper towel as Kimberly approached them.

"Hey Lil Sis. Wanna try some?" Jason offered. Tommy snorted and opened the fridge.

"I'd stick with beer if I were you," he cautioned, grabbing a bottle for himself and leaning against the counter.

Kimberly laughed and eyed the contents of the blender. "I don't know," she muttered.

"Thinking is for losers! Happy New Year, everyone!" Rocky shouted, grabbing the blender away from Jason and filling his glass to the brim with the fruity drink.

The other three laughed at their friend as he raised his glass and toasted the air before sauntering back into the living room.

"So . . . did you guys kiss and make up?" Jason asked suddenly, receiving wide eyed looks from both Kim and Tommy.

"Excuse me?" Kim asked, playfully offended.

"Yes Jason, lots of make up and lots of kiss," Tommy said dryly, giving Kim a wink.

Jason seemed satisfied with that answer, even if he knew it to be a joke and shrugged. He proceeded to fill his own glass with the mixture and daintily took a sip from the goblet.

"Mmm . . . damn, I'm good," he said to himself, causing Tommy to grimace as Kimberly laughed.

"Oh fine. I'll try a sip," she conceded as Jason handed her the glass. She touched the rim to her lips and let the drink pour into her mouth.

Tommy and Jason waited in anticipation as Kimberly's face contorted from the tartness and the heat of the spiked cocktail.

Tommy motioned to the sink and Jason stepped away, allowing Kimberly to spew the drink into the basin. She flipped her head back and swished some tap water in her mouth and spit that out as well, letting the water dance around the sink until all was clear again.

Jason laughed as Tommy shook his head and handed her a napkin.

"What the hell is in that? Gasoline?" she cried, smacking Jason's arm as she took the towel from Tommy and wiped her mouth.

"WD-40, and a shot of lime," Jason teased. Kimberly groaned again, stuffing the paper towel in her mouth to absorb the remaining flavor.

"Well, I think I saw my daughter kicking ass at Balderdash, I'm gonna go check things out," Tommy said quickly, excusing himself.

"Watch the clock!" Jason called after him. Tommy gave him a nod and took off toward the living room.

"I think I'll stick with Champagne. It's almost midnight, anyway," Kim said dutifully, reaching across Jason to grab a flute while he poured the liquid.

As Jason sat the bottle back on the counter, Kimberly took a small sip, letting the bubbles tickle her nose.

"You guys were gone for over an hour," Jason commented after a moment of silence.

Kimberly gave Jason an annoyed glare and rolled her eyes. "Of course_ you _noticed."

Jason's expression turned to shock. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh come on, Jase. You've been playing cupid since we were five. Don't think I don't know what you're up to," she chided.

"Can I help it if I want my two best friends to get back together?" he asked.

"Which two best friends are you referring to? Surely not Tommy and me?" Kimberly questioned, feigning ignorance.

Jason gave her a playful shove. "Whatever, Kimmie. You want him back just as badly as he wants you," he stated flatly.

"Is that so?"

"I know these things. I have been _playing cupid since we were five_, after all," he mocked.

"Yeah, well . . . New Year's is a time for breaking old habits," Kim bitterly added, taking a larger swig of her champagne.

"It's also a time to start over," he offered, forcing his glass against hers in a deliberate toast.

Kimberly snickered. "I'll drink to that," she muttered.

"Cheers," Jason said wryly.

"Everybody inside! Ten minutes left!" Zack called from the living room as the gang began to congregate around the television.

Jason set his cocktail down and picked up the remaining champagne flutes as Kimberly negotiated the bottle with her own glass.

"So, who ya gonna smooch when the clock strikes twelve?" Jason whispered as they joined the others.

"Babe, turn up the volume!" Zack instructed. Aisha playfully smacked his hand away.

"I'm doing it, give me a second!" she snapped back.

"Probably my daughter, smart ass," Kimberly whispered back to Jason as they began pouring drinks for everyone.

"Hurry guys!" Tanya said.

"Wow. 2007 is almost gone," Billy whispered to Katherine.

"I know!" she whispered in return, pecking his cheek.

"Hey, hey, hey! None of that! It ain't midnight yet!" Rocky protested, leaving Billy blushing and the group laughing.

Jason handed off the last glass to Annie, whose eyes widened in excitement.

"I get one too?" she asked. Jason slid his arm around her and nodded. "It's New Year's, peaches," he said.

"Five minutes!" Zack shouted.

"We can see the clock, Zack," Tanya snickered.

"What are the midnight rules?" Adam asked as everyone situated themselves to get a better view.

"What _are_ midnight rules?" Annie asked before anyone could answer Adam's question.

"Whoever you are standing the closest to, you must kiss. Type and duration are at your discretion," Jason explained.

"Engaged, betrothed or taken does not apply," Zack said.

"Yeah, unless someone wants to get slapped _for real_," Aisha jabbed. Again, the group laughed as Annie nodded in understanding.

"And everyone must get kissed!" Jason added, indicating everyone as he spoke.

"Three minutes!" Rocky yelled, beating Zack to the punch. Jason laughed as Rocky snuck a sip of his champagne.

As the minutes drew closer, Jason casually renegotiated everyone's arrangement. Asking to sit in one seat, making someone else move over; then deciding to sit some place else and shuffling his friends around. By the time the final countdown began, the order was as follows; Billy, Katherine, Annie on the couch. Zack and Aisha on the chair, Adam and Tanya on the floor beside the table; himself, Kim, Tommy and Rocky behind the sofa.

"Here it goes!" Zack said, leading them in the countdown.

"Everyone have their glasses ready?" Jason directed.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!" The collective group shouted, buzzing their noise makers and applauding as everyone shot down their champagne and the respective couples gave each other their first kiss of a new year.

Kim glanced around and realized she was standing next to Tommy, who cleared his throat and gave her a bashful smile. Kim bit her lip before Rocky's lanky arms wrapped around her waist and spun her. Yelping while trying to hold onto her drink, Rocky grabbed her face and descended onto her mouth.

The group whistled and laughed as Kim squirmed. Annie giggled with delight as Jason shoved his fist into his mouth to stifle his laughter. That certainly hadn't been his plan, but damn if it wasn't funny. Tommy snickered and shook his head in amusement, finishing his champagne before kneeling over the couch and placing a kiss on Annie's cheek.

"Happy New Year's, sweetie," he whispered. Annie glanced up at him and smiled. "Happy New Year's dad."

Once Rocky removed himself from Kimberly's lips, the rest of the old friends exchanged tender embraces and friendly snogging.

Kim bolted from her vicinity and ran to embrace Adam first, who was as far from Rocky as one could be.

Adam laughed as Kim grabbed him, squeezing him tightly. Tanya and Katherine embraced, Aisha and Jason gave one another tender pecks while Zack and Tommy shared a hug. Annie was receiving a piggy back ride from Rocky, as he lumbered toward Billy.

"Please don't attempt to kiss me," Billy begged pathetically as Annie laughed. Rocky set the young girl down and proceeded to grab Billy's hand and dip him. Billy screamed as the remaining folks shifted and embraced new people.

Aisha and Kim traded kisses on the cheeks, receiving cat calls from Zack and Jason.

"That's hot," Zack cooed.

"Oh give me a break," Kim scolded, slapping Zack as he reached for her and gave her a kiss.

Tommy walked over as Jason laughed and tapped his friend on the shoulder.

"Happy New Year's, bro," Tommy said, extending his hand.

Jason pulled him closer and gave him a tight hug. "Happy New Year's," Jason echoed before relinquishing his grasp.

Once again, Tommy and Kim found themselves beside each other, the only ones left who hadn't congratulated the other.

"Mom!" Annie called out, racing toward her. Tommy backed up to allow Annie in between them.

"Uncle Rocky tried to kiss me!" she squealed with a mix of delight and disgust.

"Well, we'll just have to have your perverted Uncle Rocky arrested," Kimberly said sweetly as she hugged her daughter.

Tommy laughed as he glanced back at his friend. "Rocky! Stop trying to put the moves on my daughter!"

The gang laughed as Rocky barreled toward Tommy. Tommy held his hands out in defense, to no avail.

Rocky lunged at him and tackled him to the ground, planting a kiss square on Tommy's lips and resting his head against his chest.

"You're such a stud, Tommy," Rocky teased. Annie giggled in embarrassment as the group roared with laughter.

Tommy groaned and tried to pry Rocky off of him. "Would you get off of me!" Tommy hissed.

"Now I know how Kim must have felt," Rocky joked, receiving suppressed, awkward laughter from the gang.

Kimberly rolled her eyes as Tommy shoved Rocky off of him and stood up. "That's it," Tommy seethed.

"Rocky, you're too much!" Tommy said, exasperated as he offered his hand to him.

The former Ranger obliged and pulled himself up, giving Tommy a wink before sliding onto the couch.

"Happy New year's Annie," Kim said finally, placing a quick peck on Annie's cheek. The young girl giggled as Kim gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"Now you have to kiss dad," Annie instructed simply. The gang gave each other nervous looks as Tommy and Kim both began to protest.

"I don't think that'd be appropriate," Kim reasoned.

"Maybe some other time," Tommy offered with a snicker.

"But you have to. MIDNIGHT RULES!" Annie whined, receiving a small laugh from Jason and the rest.

"She's right you know," Jason told them. "By my count, you're the only two who haven't smooched yet."

"What?" Kim started to say before Tommy cut her off.

"I really don't think–" he began as Jason held up his hand.

"Everyone must get kissed!" Jason reminded.

"Them's the rules!" Annie chimed in. Kimberly glared at Annie as Tommy glared at Jason, both shaking their heads.

The rest of the gang shifted in their seats anxiously. Kim sighed and shook her head.

"Fine. Come here," she barked. Tommy snickered at her command.

"Well, Jesus, Kim. Don't enjoy this too much," he snapped back bitterly. Kim rolled her eyes and took a step toward him.

"Let's just do this so everyone will get off our ass!" she moaned.

"That's the most romantic thing you've ever said," he grumbled.

Kimberly groaned audibly and threw up her hands in angst.

"I can't work like this!" she shrieked melodramatically. "How is this supposed–"

Tommy rolled his eyes. "Oh, for the love of God," he said abruptly before grabbing Kimberly's hand and pulling her into him. She yelped slightly as he slammed his mouth into hers.

Cheers from the group rang loud as they eased into the kiss. Tommy wrapped his hands around her waist, while Kimberly wrapped her arms around his neck to reach him better.

Aware of the noise around them, but seemingly unaffected, the couple remained in their embrace, their mouths still tightly wrapped around each other.

"Okay guys, we're satisfied," Jason said with a huge grin on his face. But Tommy and Kim lingered for a moment longer before Tommy set her back down and released his hold.

"Now _that_, was hot," Aisha said, receiving hollers and laughs from the rest of the gang while Tommy and Kim blushed, their eyes still fixed on each other.

_**AN: Well . . . let me know. More New Year's festivities to come. The next chapter will pick up right where this one left off. Please Read and Review! Catch ya on the flip side!**_


	27. Anticipate

_**AN: Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Your feedback and comments are much appreciated! This chapter picks up right where the last one left off, right after Tommy and Kimberly kissed. What happens now? Find out below! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 27  
Anticipate**_

_January 1__st__, 2008  
Tommy's House  
12:30 am_

"Shall we play a game?" Jason offered, bristling past his two friends and gesturing to the remaining group.

Excited shouts and nodding heads answered as everyone refilled their glasses and cleared the coffee table. Jason and Annie ran to the closet to search for a more suitable game.

The dynamic duo returned moments later, wide smiles plastered to their faces.

The group looked up eagerly, awaiting the announcement. Tommy had moved to the far end of the couch, leaving Kimberly by the chair. They would need to talk, but not now.

"Now, I know no one was prepared for this, but don't worry. We can accommodate anyone who needs more suitable attire," Jason explained cryptically.

"More suitable attire?" Katherine asked, glancing down at her light blue dress.

"Yes. Comfortable, breathable clothing for . . . TWISTER!" Jason screamed.

The gang groaned and laughed. Kimberly raised an eyebrow at Jason, who merely smirked. Tommy threw his hands up in defeat and stood.

"Who needs sweat pants or shorts or something?" he asked, submitting to whatever diabolical scheme Jason had planned.

"I do!" Aisha and Tanya said in unison.

"I've got some extra work out clothes in my suitcase," Katherine offered, getting up to retrieve her clothing from the car outside.

Tommy nodded as Aisha and Tanya followed her while Adam, Rocky and Zack approached him.

"Jason can show you where all my stuff is," Tommy said as the three men nodded.

Jason led them off, leaving Billy, Kim and Annie.

"I'll be the controller," Billy said as he moved the table and cleared the floor. Annie nodded as she helped him, setting up the mat and spinner.

Tommy gave Kimberly a sheepish grin. "You gonna play in that?" he asked, gesturing to her short dress.

Kimberly regarded herself and glanced back at him. "I guess I should probably change, too," she admitted.

Tommy nodded and motioned her to follow him. "Annie's got some clothes. I'll show you," he offered.

Kim tentatively rose from the chair as Tommy led them down the hall and into Annie's addition.

Kimberly stared at the space in amazement, never having seen it before. "Wow. You and Jason built this just for her?"

"Yep. She needed a bigger room once she started bringing more stuff over, so . . . " he said. "And besides, she's a girl and you girls need privacy and stuff," he added awkwardly.

Kimberly laughed as she walked around the room, noticing all the belongings that Annie had decided to keep at Tommy's.

"So . . . Annie's closet is right over there," he said, pointing.

Kimberly nodded slowly as she approached the door and pulled out a T-shirt and sweats and laid them on the bed. Tommy watched absently as Kimberly reached for the zipper of her dress and stopped to clear her throat.

He broke out of his daze and saw her staring at him, silently asking him to leave the room.

"Oh! Right! Umm, I should probably get changed as well. Sorry," he said quickly, excusing himself and slamming the door behind him.

Ten minutes later, the group reconvened in the living room, the stark, white mat emblazoned with its trademark polka dots staring back at them. Billy was nestled on the couch, which had been pushed back significantly to allow more room.

"Everyone ready?" he asked. Jason took the lead, regarding everyone's adoptive outifts.

"We are a sexy group," he commented, receiving a spattering of laughter.

"Okay," Billy said, flicking the spinner. "Right hand, green."

The nine players placed their hands on the mat, some sharing a spot.

"This is gonna get ugly, fast," Zack said, noticing how cramped they all felt already.

"Right foot, blue."

Groans emanated as the nine players stretched toward the dot, some already feeling wobbly.

"Left foot, blue."

Aisha squealed as Rocky nudged her on his way toward the blue dot, causing her to fall.

"Damn it!" she moaned, crawling off the mat and taking a seat next to Billy.

The eight surviving members, now all in squatted or crab like positions, anxiously awaited the next move.

"Right hand, red."

"WHAT?!" Rocky shouted as he attempted to heave his body up from his current position.

Adam waited until Tanya moved, as her legs were dangled over his. Rocky tried to lift himself once again but came slamming down, followed by Tanya, who tripped on Rocky's foot. The two quickly crawled away from the floor and joined Aisha and Billy.

Zack deftly lifted himself to plant his right hand from the green spot to the red. Katherine gracefully followed suit, with Adam, Tommy, Jason and Kim right beside them.

"Survival of the fittest," Jason quipped.

"My money's on Kim," Rocky called out. "She is a gymnast after all."

"Yeah, but Zack and Kat are dancers," Billy rationalized.

"And what do you know! Three martial artists!" Kim said as she kept her balanced with ease.

"I draw!" Annie added, saddled next to Zack. The group laughed as Billy called out the next move.

"Left foot, yellow."

"Easy," Tommy said, taking a step back as he and Adam shared a dot.

"Too easy," Zack said.

"Who you calling easy?" Aisha playfully scolded.

Again the gang laughed. "Left hand, green."

Annie struggled to reach for the green dot and slowly collapsed under Zack, who faltered slightly but remained.

Annie pouted and made her way to the group on the couch. Kimberly sprang back with ease as did the rest of the gang. Katherine and Jason now being the only two who shared a dot.

"Left foot, red." Billy directed.

"Aww man," Zack said as he attempted to snag a free dot, hoisting himself over Kimberly as she snaked underneath him.

"This. Isn't. Working . . . " Katherine said shakily as she smashed up against Jason, who had gone for a farther red spot than he should have. Adam was practically parallel to the floor at this point, barely touching the red dot with his toe, mere inches below Tommy. Tommy, whose arm was threaded in between Jason's, was steadily rocking on his heels, fighting the urge to fall backwards.

Seconds later, Jason came tumbling down, almost sending Katherine and Tommy with him.

"Survival of the fittest, huh bro?" Tommy teased, upside down.

"I tried," Jason laughed, snagging the free chair as he continued to watch.

"Right foot, green."

"I'm out!" Zack shouted as he attempted to slide his leg quickly under Kim's, falling to the floor.

Zack rolled out from under her and took a seat beside Aisha. Kim laughed as she easily held herself up in a split position.

"I could have done it if I didn't have to share," Zack protested.

"Whatever, Zachariah!" Kim teased. There were four players remaining, no one sharing a dot anymore, but certainly not in a comfortable position.

Kimberly was in the splits, holding herself up by her wrists and heels; Adam was low, but his legs were crossed, reaching for either end of the mat. Tommy was practically in a lunge position; while Katherine remained bent over, stretching her legs and arms.

"Left foot, yellow."

"AGH!" Kimberly squealed as Adam's foot collided with her leg, sending him to the ground. Almost faltering herself, Kim quickly caught her foot and slammed it to the second spot. Adam climbed off the mat and sat beside Tanya as the game started to end.

Tommy twisted his torso even farther, reaching the middle dot as Katherine calmly reached behind her, placing her left foot on the opposite end.

"Left hand, blue." Billy said with a grimace.

Tommy took a deep breath and pushed off, landing next to Kimberly as she placed her hand on the edge spot.

Katherine, however, could only feasiblely reach the dot that required her to lurch over Tommy. She attempted, her hips knocking into Tommy's side and caving in her ankles as she fell to the floor.

"Bollocks!" she cried as Annie giggled, glancing over at her Uncle Jay. Katherine crept toward the couch and rubbed her backside as the remaining two players faced off.

"Look who's left," Jason remarked.

"Yeah . . . how bout that?" Kim teased.

"Because Kim and I are actually trying to play," Tommy scolded.

"_With each other," _Jason murmured to the loser's lounge.

"Careful you two. You're about to get tangled," Zack said mischievously.

"Billy, may I?" Jason asked, indicating the spinner.

Billy sighed and shook his head. Jason greedily scooped the board and flicked it carelessly. Without looking, he called out the next move.

"Right foot, blue."

"JASON!" Kimberly groaned as she saw where she'd have to move. Tommy couldn't help but laugh at his friend's audacity.

Tommy carefully moved his right foot forward and watched as Kimberly begrudgingly hiked her leg up and brought it over Tommy's left hand, straddling his arm. Tommy craned his neck as to avoid Kimberly's posterior, which was now practically in his face.

"Sorry about this," Kim said in a low, seething groan.

Tommy chuckled to himself. The view wasn't half bad, despite all of his friends and his daughter around to see him stuck in this position. Billy took the spinner back from Jason and called out the next move.

"Left hand, green."

Kimberly moved, spreading her legs farther to reach the green dot. Tommy slid his arm in between Kim's legs and landed on a green spot. He now completely occupied a line, while Kimberly remained sprawled across the board.

"Left foot, red."

"Ummm . . . " Kimberly mumbled nervously as she reached her leg over, leaving her arms crossed. Tommy easily moved forward.

"Right hand, green."

Kimberly breathed a sigh of relief as her hands became untangled and she arched her back, reaching for the far, green dot, creating a bridge with her body.

Tommy swallowed hard as he gingerly crossed his legs to bring his right hand over, just beside Kimberly. His face was hovering over hers. Both of them short of breath.

"Right foot, yellow."

Tommy sighed as he pried his right leg from around his left one and carefully lifted it over Kimberly's body, resting just above her. Kimberly carefully moved her foot backwards, trying to place her foot on the yellow dot. Tommy caught a lump in his throat as Kimberly's thigh pressed into his crotch.

Glaring at Jason as best as she could, she nestled her knee in between Tommy's legs and tried desperately not to move.

"Can we call it a tie yet?" Kimberly asked, fuming.

The gang laughed and looked to Jason, who simply shook his head.

"Twister always has a winner," he said with a shrug.

"You know, one of you could just fall," Aisha smirked, knowing that her friends were enjoying themselves just as much as the rest of them were enjoying watching.

"Oh, just get on with it!" Kimberly seethed.

The group laughed as Billy spun the dial once more. "Right hand, red."

Kimberly, without hesitating, zipped her hand up and out, attempting to reach the opposite end of the board while simultaneously flipping herself over. Tommy quickly stood up straight, as Kimberly tiny body swooped past him.

The petite gymnast got about halfway before her momentum caught up to her and she lost her footing, sweeping Tommy's leg from under him. Down he went, landing with a thud on his back as Kimberly collided with him, face first.

The gang whistled and cheered as the game was finally over. Kimberly propped herself up on her arms, staring down at Tommy, whom she was currently laying on top of.

He gazed back at her for a moment, out of breath and preoccupied. She cleared her throat and stood up, dusting herself off.

Jason and the gang bustled over, laughing and expounding on the game they had just been a part of.

Annie offered her hand to her father, who obliged and pulled himself up.

"Well . . . if I smoked, I'd need one right now," Aisha said, fanning herself to Kim and Tommy.

"What?" Tommy asked, confused.

"Eww . . . " Annie muttered, realizing her Aunt's implication.

The other adults, excluding Kimberly and Tommy, laughed at Annie's reaction.

Kimberly groaned and shoved through the gathering bodies, heading for the kitchen.

"May I have a glass of water?" she called out to the other room, helping herself before receiving an answer.

Jason followed her to the kitchen as the rest of the group began contemplating their next activity.

Jason slid up behind Kim and rested his head on her shoulder. "Now, I know how painful and awful that was . . . but thanks for humoring me," he said dryly.

"You're such an ass!" she scolded, elbowing him in the stomach.

"What? Tell me that wasn't fun for you," he whispered harshly. He was dead serious, although his approach was still antagonistic.

"You just can't leave well enough alone, can you?" she whispered back.

"I'm not the only one who sees it, Kim! Come on, Kimmie. The mysterious hour you guys had outside, the kiss and now the game? Tell me you don't know how you feel and I'll leave you alone!" he conceded.

"I don't know how I feel!" she barked back in a low murmur.

Jason sighed and nodded. "Fine. I'll stop. Sorry," he said.

"Jason! Kim! Get in here!" Aisha commanded from the other room.

"What's up?" Jason asked as Kimberly slid up behind him, leaning against the archway.

"We've sent Annie to bed, I think she had enough of our teasing," Aisha explained.

"She went willingly," Billy added.

"So, what's going on?" Kim asked again.

"Where's Thomas?" Jason pondered cheekily.

"Outside. Anyway, we've decided to play strip poker," Aisha told them.

Kimberly's eyes widened in horror. "Oh no we're not. Not with my teenage daughter down the hall!" she snapped.

"And _him_ close by!" Jason added, pointing at Rocky who huffed in protest.

"Oh come on!" Rocky exclaimed, receiving laughs from the group.

"Either you play, or you have to leave," Aisha concluded.

"Where exactly do the non players go?" Kim asked snidely, crossing her arms.

"Outside," Zack said simply, referring to the previous question regarding Tommy's whereabouts.

Jason and Kim exchanged knowing looks as Kim nodded and headed for the door. Jason shrugged and walked over to join the group.

"Deal me in," Jason said as Aisha watched Kimberly leave the room.

"Can I be frank?" Katherine piped up.

"What game we playing now?" Rocky asked, receiving a playful shove from Adam.

"Tommy and Kimberly need to get back together," Katherine admitted.

Aisha laughed, having waited with bated breath for Katherine's comment.

"Girl, they need to do more than just get back together," she continued to laugh, amused by how relatively tame Katherine's candor had proven to be.

"Did you see them during Twister?" Zack chimed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"_And that was by choice_," Tanya reminded everyone.

Outside, Kimberly centered her breathing as she wandered off the porch and stared out at the ocean view.

She blinked a couple of times before she saw Tommy sitting near the edge, gazing out as well.

"May I join you?" she asked softly as she walked up behind him. Tommy glanced over his shoulder and gave her a bashful smile, motioning for her to sit beside him.

The two remained silent for a while, looking out onto the water as the night sky reflected off the waves.

"We've got some crazy friends, huh?" Kimberly asked absently as she continued to look out.

Tommy snickered before turning to face her. "Umm, about the kiss," he began awkwardly.

"Yeah . . . " Kim agreed self consciously.

"Sorry I grabbed you," Tommy said uneasily. "I was just trying to get it over with."

Kimberly bit her lip and nodded. "Oh no, I totally understand," she said dutifully.

"It was . . . kind of . . . " Tommy started before Kim cut him off.

"Weird?" she offered.

"Yeah," he said as they shared a laugh.

"I know," she admitted, tucking a hair behind her ear.

"We haven't kissed–"

"In a long time," Kimberly said, finishing his thought.

"Yeah," he said quietly.

Silence fell upon the couple once again as they shifted and fidgeted.

"You've gotten better," she said distantly.

Tommy considered this for a moment then chuckled to himself. "So have you."

Kimberly giggled lightly and bit her lip. "It was weird. Kissing Mason," she said suddenly.

Tommy swallowed slowly and nodded. "Really? Why?" he asked nervously, unsure if he wanted to engage in this conversation.

"Well, he usually dictated when we actually would kiss . . . but even when I did kiss him, I don't know. We just didn't . . . fit. Or something," she said flippantly.

Tommy nodded. "Hmm," he mumbled.

"I'd really like to be in your life again," she confessed abruptly, turning to face him.

Tommy's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak as Kimberly amended her comment.

"It'd be nice to help each other out with Annie, ya know?"

Tommy cleared his throat and gave her a small smile of relief. "That would be nice," he agreed.

"Annie told me about the incident at the mall, ya know? And after all this business with Mason and these past few months . . . I just think we could really learn from each other. I mean, offer up advice and whatever," Kim explained.

"Totally," Tommy said cooly.

"I'd really like us to be friends again," she added sadly.

"Me too," he said.

"The commuting is starting to take its toll on Annie," Kimberly said after a moment.

"I know. She mentioned it to me too," Tommy said.

"But I can't just leave Angel Grove again. I have a job now, ya know?"

Tommy nodded. "Yeah, same here. It was difficult enough the first time to move to Reefside."

"I have a feeling Annie has been roped into the conspiracy," Kim said, narrowing her gaze.

Tommy laughed, trying to decipher _which _conspiracy she meant. "Does it involve a certain someone who shall remain nameless?"

"Let's just call him, J. L. Scott." Kimberly said with a smirk. "Oh no wait! That's too obvious . . . let's call him, Jason S."

Tommy cackled as Kimberly shook her head in amusement.

"He's a piece of work, let me tell you," Tommy said.

"Annie comes home with all these elusive comments that Jason's fed her and I'm like . . . _why_?" Kimberly said in amazement.

"Try living with him! He's up to something every second. Sometimes, when I'm away . . . I can still feel him plotting," Tommy said with conviction.

Kimberly laughed. "Like right now?" she suggested, glancing back toward the house.

Tommy turned to look too, shaking his head as he imagined the worst. "Are they still playing strip poker?"

"Maybe. Or maybe they knew that neither of us would stand for it after that ridiculous Twister scheme and come out here to talk," Kimberly said.

"It was kind of funny though," Tommy offered.

"Yeah. I guess we could have ended it sooner. I mean, had Jason not cheated and started calling out random positions, I totally would have won," she joked.

Tommy raised his eyebrows and gave her an incredulous look. "Is that a fact?"

Kimberly rolled her eyes. "Hello! _I am a gymnast_," she reminded him.

Tommy laughed. "Oh that's right. And I'm in such terrible, physical shape . . . there's _no way_ I could have won!" he said sarcastically.

"Well . . . it's not my fault you've let yourself go," Kimberly teased, sticking her tongue out.

Tommy pouted in mock offence. "I have not! I look _way better _than I did in high school, even_ I _gotta admit _that!_"

Kimberly bit her lip and stifled a giggle. "Yeah . . . you look okay . . . I guess," she said airily.

Tommy smiled and gave her a playful nudge. "I saw you checking me out."

Kimberly leaned back, aghast. "When was that? Before_ or after _you checked out _my ass?_" she asked haughtily.

Tommy snorted and clapped. "I couldn't help it!" he said, practically crying through his laughter.

Kimberly chewed on her tongue and shook her head in feigned melodrama. "You'd think he'd be a bit more subtle," she reasoned.

"Jason? Subtle? No way. Not about this," Tommy told her, absolutely serious.

"Really? Why? Why does he care so much?" Kimberly asked.

Tommy sighed and shrugged. "He knows how happy we used to be, I guess," he offered.

"Yeah . . . " Kim mumbled sadly.

"And . . . " Tommy began carefully, swallowing the lump in his throat. "He knows how much . . . "

Kimberly bit her lip, awaiting the rest of Tommy's sentence. He was struggling. A part of him wanted desperately to admit to her how he still felt. How he was lonely, and how he missed her. How he still cared about her. How he still _loved_ her.

"He knows how much Annie means to us," Tommy finally said, exhaling.

Kimberly blinked back her obvious disappointment and looked away.

"How about you?" Tommy asked suddenly, receiving a confused look from Kim. "How do you feel about Jason scheming to get us back together?"

Kimberly gave Tommy a pointed nod of recognition. _There._ The actual plot was announced, without mincing words, Jason was trying to get them back together.

"I don't know what you mean," Kim feigned innocence.

"He's getting on my nerves if you ask me," Tommy said, blazing past Kim's reaction.

"Why?" Kim asked, unable to think of a better response. But Tommy was oblivious. He was lost in his thoughts.

"I mean, if we wanted something to happen, we would act on it. Right? But it's not like it'd be easy. I mean, with everything that's happened. I know Annie wants a family. And I know our set up isn't ideal but, Jason's got this warped idea that all that needs to happen is we like, get locked in a room or something. Then, poof! We'd be . . . married or something . . . I don't know."

Tommy shook his head as he finished and glanced at Kimberly, who had begun to cry softly.

"Kim–" Tommy started before Kimberly cut him off.

"I made a mistake," she said through her sobs. "Okay, I made a lot of mistakes but, I mean with Mason."

Tommy gave her a worried look as she continued, watching his reaction carefully.

"I can't believe I let someone treat me like that. Talk to me like that, hurt me. I can't believe I treated someone like you, the way I did and yet let someone like him walk all over me."

"Kim, we've already talked about this. It's done now," Tommy said nervously.

"You know, I never told him anything about that. But every time he'd say something hurtful or mean . . . I just took it. Cause I knew I deserved it. I deserved it for doing what I did to you," she choked out.

"Kim–"

"He came back, ya know. The next day, to pick up his stuff–"

"Did he touch you?" Tommy blurted out abruptly, giving Kim a stern look.

She shook her head carelessly as she swallowed large gulps of air. Tommy released an audible sigh and pulled her into a desperate hug.

"I don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened to you," he said as he ran his hand through her hair.

Kimberly pulled away but held onto his arms as she stared him down.

"Really?" she asked tearfully. Tommy gave her a smile and lifted her hand to his lips and gave it a kiss.

"I don't care what happened between us, I'd do everything in my power to save you if you were in danger," he said.

"You did," she reminded him. Tommy gave her a bashful grin.

"I barely remember what happened. I just remember walking to the door, hearing you both scream and my mind just . . . freezing, ya know? All I could think was . . . _if he touches a hair on your head or Annie_ . . . I'll kill him."

Kimberly bit her lip as Tommy continued, still holding her hand.

"I've never been so terrified in my life," he concluded.

"I'm really glad Annie has you," Kimberly said, tears resurfacing as she initiated another hug.

Tommy rubbed her back as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"I'm glad I have her too," he said.

The couple parted and sat back, letting silence overtake them once again.

Suddenly, a blur of black, white and red came barreling toward them. Kimberly and Tommy scrambled to investigate as Rocky, Jason and Zack ran up and around them, Jason snapping a towel at his barely clothed, former teammates.

"I LOST THE GAME!" Rocky shouted as they passed Kim and Tommy, who were laughing and in shock.

"ME TOO!" Zack cried after him as Jason whipped the towel once more before slowing down to greet his friends.

"Looks like you had fun," Kim playfully scolded.

"You guys really played strip poker?" Tommy asked rhetorically.

Jason wiped the sweat off his face with the towel and gave them a smile. "You should have been there, bro."

Tommy shrugged as Kimberly shook her head, watching Rocky and Zack continue to run around naked.

"The alternative wasn't so bad," Tommy said, giving Kim a wink.

Jason raised his eyebrows and spun around to wrap his arms around their shoulders.

"Oh, so we're enjoying one another's company again, are we?" he asked cheekily as Kimberly pried his arm off and shoved a finger in his chest.

"You sir, are a nosey Nellie!" Kimberly teased in mock reproach.

Tommy laughed as Jason slid his arm off of him and gave Kim an offended look.

"I am really hurt by that!" he brayed defiantly.

"Oh shut up, Jase," Tommy chuckled.

Jason's jaw dropped as he stood in melodramatic dismay.

"You two are so ungrateful!" he pouted, storming off in a huff.

Kimberly and Tommy laughed as they chased him down.

"What do _you_ want?" Jason asked sullenly.

"We know you just want us to be happy," Kimberly cooed, slinking her arm around his as they walked.

"And if we ever get back together, you'll be the first to know!" Tommy added, playfully smacking Jason's back.

"_IF . . . "_ Kimberly emphasized, hysterical fits of laughter echoing as Jason picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

Rocky and Zack breezed past Tommy as he winced at the sight of them.

"Uh oh, Tommy! Jason's taking your girl!" Rocky shouted.

"I'd fight him if I were you!" Zack chimed in, running backwards.

"You guys don't give up, do you? TURN AROUND, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!" Tommy cried.

"COME ON, TOMMY! YOU KNOW YOU WISH YOU COULD BE IN MY POSITION RIGHT NOW!" Jason yelled to his friend as he grabbed Kimberly's tiny body and spun her around.

"JASON! WOULD YOU KNOCK IT OFF!" Kimberly shouted.

Tommy shook his head and watched in embarrassment as his naked friends ran around his front yard, taunting his best friend and his former girlfriend.

Just then, Billy, Adam and the girls came onto the porch, Tanya and Katherine in towels, Aisha in her bra and sweat pants, Adam and Billy in their boxers. They all raced down to the lawn to join in the havoc.

"COME ON, TOMMY!" Jason shouted as the group redirected itself toward him.

"Where are you guys going?" Tommy asked as they took off from the house.

"THE OCEAN!" Rocky cheered.

"WHAT?" Kimberly gasped as Jason held onto her butt as he continued to carry her.

"SKINNY DIPPING!" Zack bellowed.

"Tommy! Help!" Kimberly pleaded anxiously.

Tommy laughed and shrugged as he padded back down toward the beach.

_**AN: Whew! What do you think? Again, the next chapter will continue where this one left off. There's still plenty of New Year's shenanigans to come! Haha! Please Read and Review! Catch ya on the flip side!**_


	28. I Just Can't Smile

_**AN: The gang goes skinny dipping, as this chapter begins where the last one left off. What happens next? What will happen with Tommy and Kimberly? Find out below! Please read and review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 28  
I just can't smile  
**_

_January 1__st__, 2008  
3:00am  
Tommy's House_

Kimberly shrieked as Jason threatened to throw her into the water. The rest of the group, minus Tommy, were already splashing around, tossing off any extra garments they had previously been wearing.

"PUT ME DOWN!" she screamed.

"You gotta get naked to get wet!" Rocky warned.

"There's gotta be a better way to say that!" Adam grimaced.

"It's really nice, Kim! Come on!" Aisha whined.

Tommy approached the shore and laughed as Jason spun around, still holding Kimberly above him.

"Tommy! Tell him to put me down!"

"No way! Thomas is getting in the water, right?" Jason asked.

Tommy hesistated for a moment before shrugging and stripping off his shirt.

Rocky whistled as Zack howled. "Dr. McDreamy!" Aisha shouted as Tommy stood there shirtless, laughing in embarrassment.

"You still wanna be a party pooper, little sis?" Jason asked.

"YES! NOW PUT ME DOWN!" she demanded.

"Okay..." Jason warned as he set her back down and whipped his towel off.

Kimberly squealed and kicked him away with her foot. "Get in the water!" she barked as Jason laughed, running toward the ocean.

Tommy gave Kim a bashful smile, as he stood before her in his only his boxers.

"Come on, Kim. I'm doing it," he told her.

Kimberly laughed but shook her head. "I don't think so," she sang.

Tommy gave her a smirk as Kimberly's face dropped.

"Tommy? Tommy, why are you smiling?" she said nervously as he took off toward her and lifted her off the ground.

The gang cheered as Kimberly playfully screamed, bouncing against Tommy's shoulder as he led them to the water.

"You said you wanted to be friends again!" Tommy reasoned as she slapped his bare back.

"Not like this!" she groaned.

"AGH!!!!!!!!!!!" she screamed as Tommy tossed her into the water, diving in behind her.

Kim resurfaced, slicking her hair back as she waded around in her now heavy clothing.

Tommy popped up seconds later and raised his arm, boxers in hand. He twirled the garment around and flung them toward the shore.

The group cheered as Tommy initiated himself to their debauchery.

"This is actually quite relaxing," Billy surmised as Katherine slid up behind him.

"I'm so glad we're all old enough to do this now," she said brightly, receiving a chuckle from Rocky.

"Speak for yourself!" he squawked.

"Isn't this fun Kim?" Aisha asked.

Kimberly groaned and splashed her. "You are all out of your mind," she seethed as she continued to tread.

"Those clothes are weighing you down, Kimmie," Jason told her.

"Come on, Kim! We're all friends here!" Zack chimed in.

"Yeah Kim, we're all friends," Tommy echoed, giving her a wink.

Kimberly rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said finally.

"Yah! Kim's gonna get naked!" Rocky exclaimed, receiving a playful splash from Tommy.

"Here Kim, I'll help you," Tanya offered as Kimberly submerged herself and came back up with the t-shirt she'd been wearing, covering herself with an arm and handing the garment off to Tanya.

Jason smirked as he glanced over at Tommy, who was staring at Kimberly. Although she had her chest covered, the sight of her small, tan, wet body from the waist up was enough to shorten his breath.

She dunked herself once again, this time rising only to neck level and gave Tanya her shorts. Tanya tossed them onto the beach and swam off toward Adam once again.

"We should do something," Jason suggested, treading around as he spoke.

"We're already naked, Jase," Adam reminded him as Tanya wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Not another game," Zack moaned. "Can't we all just pair off and do our thing?" he whined.

The group laughed as Jason shook his head. "NO! No hanky panky in the ocean!" he playfully reprimanded.

"Aww man," Zack grumbled as Aisha gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"What did you have in mind?" Kimberly suddenly asked, to everyone's surprise.

"Kim, are you sure you want–" Adam began to say before Kim cut him off.

"Totally. Now that I've been forced into skinny dipping, might as well have some fun," she informed the group.

"We could have dunking contests!" Rocky shouted, receiving a groan from Adam.

"We could play chicken!" Katherine suggested, much to Billy's dismay.

Jason shook his head and stood to his waist, looking around.

Tanya, Adam, and Aisha were laughing and splashing each other, Zack and Rocky were doing laps around the group.

Kim was talking to Billy and Katherine, and Tommy had disappeared.

"Where's Tommy?" Jason asked suddenly.

As if on cue, Kimberly screamed and was pulled below the surface. The group made a move to help her before realizing Tommy was the culprit.

Tommy sprang back up and spit a stream of water at Jason's face as Kimberly resurfaced, panting and swearing.

"Don't. You. Ever. Do. That. To. Me. Again!" she warned, smacking Tommy's arm.

Tommy laughed as he caught her hand and pressed a finger to his lips. "Breathe, beautiful. It was a joke," he said casually as he released her arm and swam off toward Jason.

Kimberly felt her stomach drop and the smallest smile creep onto her face as she watched him go.

"Let's play Baby I Love You," Tommy suggested, receiving a few confused looks.

"What's that?" Rocky and Aisha asked in unison.

"Is that the circle game, going around to everyone and try to make them smile?" Adam asked.

"Baby I love you, won't you give me a smile," Katherine said simply. "That's what you say, right?"

Tommy nodded as Jason smiled in recognition. "Oh, I remember that game."

"Then the other person has to keep from smiling," Katherine continued.

"And they say, Baby I love you, but I just can't smile," Tommy finished.

"Or try to say it, if they're not already smiling," Adam added.

"So, someone's in the center, right?" Zack chimed in.

"Yep," Tommy said. "I'll go first, since I know how to play it. Everyone can just follow my lead."

The group nodded and circled up. "Oh! What happens if you get us to smile?" Aisha asked.

"You have to stand on the shoreline and cheer the rest of us on," Tommy explained cheekily.

"That's the only option?" Billy asked, absolutely certain of his doom no matter what.

Tommy laughed as he nodded. "In full naked glory," he added.

Billy cringed as Tommy swam into the center of the circle and began sizing up each person, deciding his first victim.

First, Tommy stopped in front of Adam. "Adam...baby," Tommy said in a ridiculously schmoozy voice, causing Adam to wince and crack a tiny smile.

The group busted up as Tommy gestured to Adam's face, showing them how the game was played.

"I'll go cheer you on," Adam said in mock disappointment. Tanya giggled as Kimberly and Aisha howled at the sight of Adam's backside.

The former Ranger spun around, completely naked to the group and jumped into the air.

"Go team, go!" he mocked as they all whistled and cheered.

"See? Nothing to it," Tommy told them as the circle moved in a little. Tommy swam around them once again, stopping at Aisha.

"Aisha," Tommy whined. "Baby, I love you! Won't you give me a smile???" he pleaded, pouting his lips and cooing.

Aisha gave him a stern look and pushed his face away with her hand.

"Baby," she said sharply. "I love you, but I just can't smile," she said, as the crowd giggled.

"What happens now?" Zack cut in.

"Aisha takes my place," Tommy said with a shrug before switching spots with her.

Aisha zeroed in on Katherine first. "Hey Kitty Kat," Aisha said, mocking a low, grumbly voice. "Baby, I love you. Won't ya give me a smile?"

Katherine remained still for a moment before covering her mouth and cackling.

"Oh rats! I'm no good at this!" she said, still laughing as she waded toward the shore and stood there, embarrassed for a moment.

"Come on Kat! Cheer with me!" Adam said giddily.

The group laughed as Katherine curtsied and shouted. "Let's go Isha! Let's go!" she called out, her and Adam clapping twice in rhythm.

"BOOBIES!" Rocky shouted, receiving a splash from Tanya and Kim.

"Grow up," Tanya teased.

Billy grimaced in amused embarrassment as the group laughed hysterically. Aisha spun back around and aimed for Zack next.

"Ooh baby," Aisha purred seductively, causing the group to snort and snicker. "I looooooooove you," she continued, giving him a wink and slinking her arms around his neck. "Won't you...give me a smile?" she breathed in his ear.

"No hanky panky!" Jason whined, causing Zack to laugh.

Howls and hollers filled the air as Zack pounded the water with his fist. "Damn it, Jason! I so had her!" Zack protested.

Aisha smacked Zack's butt as he begrudgingly climbed out of the water and joined Adam and Kat.

"Let me hear it, baby!" Aisha called after him.

And to everyone's astonishment and awe, Zack sprung into the air and did a backflip, clapping his hands as he settled back on the ground.

"It's naked time!" he bellowed, receiving cheers and laughter from the remaining players.

"Aisha's the master!" Tanya squealed.

"That's cause she's sneaky," Kim said, sticking her tongue out at her friend.

"Girl, you know it," Aisha said, sauntering over to Jason.

"Baby, I love you. Won't you give me a smile?" she said flatly. Jason gave her a sympathetic look.

"Baby, I love you, but I just can't smile," he said, as the group howled and egged them on. Aisha shook her head as Jason gave her peck on the cheek.

"Sorry Ish," he said with shrug.

"Spoke to soon, huh?" Tommy asked happily.

Aisha rolled her eyes as Jason began his quest, beginning with Rocky.

Jason rested his hands on Rocky's shoulders and inhaled a sharp breath, feigning tears.

"Baby," he choked out. "I love you. Won't you give me a smile?" he cried, melodramatically, pulling Rocky to him and hugging him.

As Jason's naked body pressed up against him, Rocky screamed and pulled away, laughing and shaking his head.

"That's not fair!" he cried as Jason pointed and laughed.

"Got a taste of your own medicine, eh Rocky?" Tommy quipped.

"Easy out," Jason said proudly, narrowing his gaze at Billy.

"Please don't pick me," Billy squirmed as Jason approached him but then turned away, causing Billy to sigh.

"Oh Kimmie..." Jason called out softly. Kimberly raised her eyebrow and stared him down.

"Baby," he began as the group watched with anticipation. "I love you–" he started to say before he began laughing uncontrollably.

Kimberly gave Tommy a confused look as the remaining players laughed as well.

"Well, that was a bust!" Aisha said.

"What happens now?" Tanya asked.

"I guess, Kimberly takes over and in this case, Jason should leave and cheer," Tommy suggested.

Kimberly grinned and smacked Jason on the back as he retreated to the beach, taking his place.

"Sorry guys. I couldn't keep a straight face while Kim was glaring at me," Jason teased.

"Make with the cheer already!" Kimberly commanded.

Jason did a somersault and waved his arms around. "Kimmie, Kimmie, she's our man! If she can't do it no one can!"

"Damn right," she said. She scanned the surviving players before submerging herself. Everyone looked around for her, buckling their reserve in case they were her target.

Finally, Kim emerged behind Billy, wiping her hair back as the former Blue Ranger panicked and whimpered.

Aisha, Tanya and Tommy smiled as Kimberly snaked her arm around Billy's chest and whispered in his ear.

"Hey baby..." she cooed, forcing Billy to cringe. "Remember that time that we traded bodies?" she asked.

Billy uproariously cracked up, as Kim released him with a satisfied smile. "Okay, okay!" he pleaded, dashing out of the water in a hurry.

Kimberly whistled as Billy waddled up the sand and turned around unceremoniously, flashing the group.

Kimberly averted her eyes and giggled as Billy shrugged and did a cartwheel. "Sis boom be, kick 'em in the knee! Sis boom bass, kick 'em in the other knee!" he groaned.

The group laughed as Kimberly prowled through the water and reached Tanya.

Laying on a thick, valley girl dialect, Kimberly began to pantomime chewing gum as she twirled her hair. Tanya remained stoic until Kimberly gasped, letting the imaginary gum fall from her mouth as she widened her eyes.

"Oh. My. God. Baby," she chirped. "Like, I totally love you, for sure. Won't you like gag me with a smile?" Kimberly blinked mindlessly until Tanya couldn't hold it anymore, coughing out her laugh.

Kimberly and Tanya hugged briefly before Tanya made her way up to the cheering section.

"Go crazy! Go nuts! Cause if you smile you gotta show your butts!" Tanya squealed maniacally and mooned the group.

"Tanya!" Adam said, shocked.

They laughed once again as Kimberly stared Tommy and Aisha down. Finally, Kimberly slinked over to Aisha and

licked her lips.

That was enough for Aisha, who immediately started guffawing and waved Kim away, climbing out and twirling as she sang. "Tommy and Kimberly, naked in the sea, Skinny D-I-P-P-I-N-G!"

Tommy shook his head as Kimberly rolled her eyes. They should have seen it coming that they would be the last two standing. _Again._

"You're going down, Mr. Oliver," Kimberly challenged.

"That's Dr. Oliver, to you," he corrected smugly.

Kimberly smirked as she contemplated a new tactic. The group watched on with quiet excitement as Kimberly turned around, her back facing Tommy and rose up from the water slightly.

Tommy tried to disguise his grin as Kimberly's naked back side peeked from beneath the water.

"That's unfortunate," Billy joked, suppressing a smile as he watched on.

"This could be the worst idea, ever," Adam said, chuckling to himself.

"Or the best," Jason added as Kimberly began bathing herself in front of Tommy.

As long as Kimberly didn't initiate the challenge by speaking, Tommy could simply enjoy the view. Then, Kimberly released a soft moan as she poured a handful of water over her head and glanced over her shoulder.

Tommy swallowed with difficulty and bucked up, losing his smile.

"Mmmm, baby..." she growled, eyeing him up and down. Stifled laughter came from the beach as Tommy bit the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning.

"Baby, baby, baby..." she continued as she arched her back and tousled her hair.

"Should we be watching this?" Tanya asked, slightly embarrassed.

"Definitely," Rocky said.

Tommy remained poised and centered his breathing as Kimberly slowly spun around to face him, her bare breasts exposed.

Jason turned his head away and laughed as the gang whistled and egged her on.

"I thought you said no hanky panky!" Zack whined.

"Oh let 'em," Aisha reprimanded. "Tommy could use the release."

"So could Kim," Jason added.

"Apparently," Katherine chimed in as Kimberly slowly crept toward Tommy and ran a delicate finger across his bare chest, traveling around him until she stopped and pressed herself against him from behind.

Tommy inhaled sharply, releasing the breath steadily as Kimberly draped her hands over his stomach and traced the outline of his muscles before moving back to face him once again.

"Baby?" she asked quietly as Tommy stared back at her.

Kimberly placed her hands on his shoulders and began writhing, slowly. Tommy felt his breath shorten as his groin, within very close proximity of Kim's body, began to swell.

"OH BABY, BABY!" Kim started to moan wildly as she continued to whip her head back and forth, jutting her hips into the water.

The gang stood wide eyed and mesmerized, if not slightly embarassed.

"I don't think I can watch this," Tanya said, grabbing Adam's hand and dragging him off. Adam sent his friends a shrug as he and Tanya made their way back to the house.

"Yeah, I think we're gonna excuse ourselves, too," Katherine said as Billy nodded. They waved good bye as Jason, Rocky, Aisha and Zack remained fully enthralled by the erotic display in front of them.

"And I thought _Jason's_ move was unfair," Rocky snorted.

"BABY I LOVE YOU! WON'T YOU GIVE ME A SMILE?" Kim screamed, feigning an orgasm as the group on the beach applauded her performance.

"Kim's kind of scary when she screams like that," Zack mused.

Kimberly shuddered and released Tommy's shoulders, dipping her head back and wetting her hair once again.

Tommy waited until Kimberly faced him once again and cocked his eyebrow.

"Baby..." he began, stoic and unaffected.

"I..." he tried to continue, but the realization of saying those words to Kim, even within the context of the game, made him stumble.

"I...I'm sorry, I can't do this," Tommy said.

"That's not the line, silly! It's _baby I love you but I just can't_–"

Tommy shook his head and started for the shore as Kimberly's accomplished smirk faded.

Jason and the others exchanged worried looks as Tommy dashed out of the water and threw his clothes back on, seemingly unaffected that he was flashing everyone.

Kimberly remained in the water, wrapping her arms around her chest protectively as she watched the scene on the beach.

Jason made his way over to Tommy and put a hand on his shoulder. Tommy shirked it away and asked him to leave.

Jason nodded dutifully and was followed by everyone else, glancing behind them as they headed back toward the house.

Tommy sighed and bowed his head as he awkwardly slid his shirt over his wet torso. Kimberly stepped out of the water, and stood at its edge.

"What happened? I thought we were having fun," she said.

Tommy turned around and viewed her body for a moment before giving her a tormented sigh.

"Put some clothes on, please?" he asked her painfully.

Kimberly gave him a hurt look but obediently began to redress herself, watching him watch her as she slid her shorts back on and then slipped the damp shirt over her head.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong or do I have to guess?" she asked him, somewhat bitingly.

Tommy scoffed and turned to leave, but not before Kimberly ran after him and spun him around to face her.

"What is the deal?" she demanded. Tommy gently pried her hand away and gazed down at her, solemnly.

"What?" she asked again.

Kimberly's eyes burned into his as clenched his jaw tightly and tried to move past her. This time, Kimberly, in all seriousness, took a running leap onto his back and tackled him to the ground.

Tommy groaned as her tiny body collided with his and sent him flying. The couple struggled for control, rolling around in the sand until finally Tommy landed on top of Kim, holding her arms above her head.

"You're such a shit!" she screamed in his face.

Tommy took it and winced slightly as she continued to yell.

" We were having a good night, Tommy! What is your problem?" she screeched, tears forming in her eyes as Tommy released her and stood up, walking away.

"Damn it, Tommy! Talk to me!" she pleaded. "Why can't you just play the game and let us be friends again?"

"Because I don't want to be your friend!" He shouted back suddenly, whipping around to face her.

Kimberly bit her lip feverishly as she crossed her arms and began to cry. "Oh," she mumbled quietly, crushed beyond recognition.

"I don't want to be your friend, because I can't be your friend" he continued.

"I get it," Kimberly said coldly as Tommy approached her and grabbed her by the arms.

"I _can't be your friend,_ Kimberly...because I'm still in love with you."

And with that, he relinquished his hold and walked away. Leaving Kimberly devastated.

_**AN: OH! Cliffhanger! I am mean! What happens? Find out next! I'll update quickly I promise! Please Read and Review! Catch ya on the flip side!**_


	29. Floating Out to Sea

_**AN: This chapter picks up right where the last one left off. Tommy's just confessed that he's till in love with Kim. How does she react? What will happen? Find out below! Please read and review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 29  
Floating out to sea**_

_January 1st, 2008  
4:30am  
Tommy's House_

Kimberly stood amazed for a moment before running after him once again. Once she caught up to him, she sprinted ahead and smacked him across his face. Tommy winced and held his cheek, glaring back at her.

"What the hell was that for?" he yelled.

"You fucking dick!" she seethed.

"Excuse me?" Tommy asked angrily.

"Do you have any idea how hurt I was, thinking everything we had accomplished tonight was for nothing? And for what? To tell me that you're still in love with me? You've got a lot of fucking nerve!" she screamed through her tears.

"Believe me Kim. This is not how I wanted to tell you!" he barked back.

"Do you know how long I have waited to hear you tell me that again? Do you?" She demanded, mere inches from his face.

Tommy's face softened slightly, realizing that Kim was more upset that he had simply misled her, not because he'd admitted how he felt.

"Kim–" he started as she continued to rant.

"I have hoped and prayed to hear those words! I was so afraid of never hearing them again! All this business tonight about being in your life again and wanting help with Annie? I lied! I only want them _with _you! I want to _be with you_! I want to be your wife and be a family! I want to hug you and kiss you and make love to you and–"

Tommy seized her and crushed his mouth against hers, abruptly stopping her tirade. Kimberly squealed and pushed him away aggressively, panting as she stared him down.

He looked at her nervously, disappointed she had broken the kiss. But in an instant, Kimberly grabbed him by the collar and pulled him into her as Tommy's hands wrapped around her waist and lifted her up.

The couple devoured each other, as lips met and parted, tongues clashing with teeth. They stumbled to the ground in their frenzy, hands groping each other's dampened bodies. Tommy moaned blissfully as Kimberly straddled his lap, and ripped his shirt aside, kissing his neck and chest. His hands caressed her thighs gently before finding their way to her backside, grinding her into him.

"Wait!" she said suddenly.

Tommy obediently removed his hands and raised them above his head as Kimberly slid off of him.

"What are we doing?" she asked him seriously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Tommy sat up and gave her a smile, brushing away flecks of sand that had gotten stuck to her face.

"Kim, I've never stopped loving you. Even when you showed up at my door, and told me what had happened. Even when you were drunk and punched me and threw up on me. Even when we spent the next two months yelling at each other in front of a group of strangers. Even when you introduced to me your new boyfriend and broke our plans to be with him."

"I'm so sorry about–"

"Kim, shhh," he whispered, holding her chin in his hand and kissing her on the cheek.

"I love you," he said simply.

Kimberly bit her lip, her eyes threatening tears once again. "I don't deserve you, " she said quietly.

"Says who?" he asked, running his fingers through her tangled hair.

"Me. Anyone in their right mind," she reasoned.

"Well I disagree. If anyone has the right to be angry, it's me. But being angry won't give me you, and you're what I want."

"Really?" she asked again, still not believing her good fortune.

"You know how many arguments I had with Jason, fighting with my heart to deny how I still felt? Jason knew. Jason always knew. That's why he tried so hard. I guess I wasn't exaggerating about the locked in a room idea, huh?"

"Me too," Kimberly confessed bashfully, receiving a curious look from Tommy.

"Jason had me pegged from the moment I came here, looking for Annie. Hell, even before that! I just, assumed that with everything I'd done to you, everything I had put you through . . . that you wouldn't want me like that again."

"I had myself convinced for a while that I didn't," Tommy admitted. "But the more time I spent with Annie; the way she laughs sometimes, or smiles . . . "

Kimberly bit her lip and stared at him dreamily.

"They way she bites her lip when she's nervous or embarrassed," he added as their lips met once again.

"All I could see was you," he finished after they parted.

"I had the same moments with her sometimes, too. She's more like you than you think," Kimberly told him.

"Yeah, my conscience," Tommy joked.

"Do you know, one of the first things she ever asked me was, why after you wrote that letter I didn't go after you and demand an answer?"

Kimberly stared back at him, stunned to hear that her daughter had been so forward, so suddenly.

"And I guess there was always a part of me that had wanted to do just that but was afraid too," he concluded.

"But who knows what would have happened. I was already a few months into my pregnancy. You wouldn't have wanted to see me like that," Kimberly said.

Tommy gave her an incredulous look. "Of course I would. I'd love to see you pregnant!" he defended.

Kimberly giggled as Tommy blushed.

"I didn't mean that the way it sounded," he said bashfully.

"It's okay. It makes me happy," she said softly as her focus drifted upward and she sighed at the sky.

"Trini would be really pleased right now."

Tommy gave her a sad smile and grabbed her hand, massaging it with his thumb. "Yeah?" he asked quietly.

Kimberly nodded and looked back at him.

"Yeah. She always knew you'd take care of me, no matter what. She fought me tooth and nail to tell you about the baby, ya know. She only suggested the letter as a way of saving you from my bad decisions," Kim explained.

Tommy squeezed Kim's tiny hand and nodded. "I know. Trini only ever wanted what was best for everyone," he said.

Kim nodded slowly. "Sometimes I wonder where we would have been, if I had told you the truth from the start."

"Probably married. With five more kids running around in a huge yard and a big, shaggy, sloppy dog," Tommy offered merrily.

Kimberly giggled and playfully slapped his arm with her free hand. "Six kids? What are you, crazy?"

"I just might be," he teased.

"You really think we would have been married?" she asked sadly after a moment.

"Beautiful, I have no doubt," he told her simply, bowing his head to kiss her hand.

Kimberly smiled as her pet name was spoken. "But would we still be? And happily?" she questioned.

Tommy shrugged. "Doesn't really matter, does it? We're not married, and we've already survived more trauma in the last four months than most married couples do in four years!"

"We should tell Annie," Kimberly said.

"Tell Annie what?" he asked.

"You know," she said, gesturing between them. "About this. About us."

"What about us?" he asked innocently as Kimberly's face grew frustrated.

"You mean we're not professing our love to each other on the beach and wanting to attempt a life together again?" she asked incredulously.

Tommy laughed. "Ah yes, that! Well, now that you mention it . . . you've yet to profess anything," he informed her.

Kimberly covered her mouth with her hand and sat there in shock. "Oh my god! You're right! I'm so sorry, Tommy! I got so caught up in everything we'd been talking about and was still in shock from you telling me that you're still in love–"

"So say it already, would ya?" he teased, poking her in the stomach. Kimberly giggled as she scooted closer to him and grabbed both of his hands.

"Tommy," she began as he smiled wistfully into her eyes. "I love you."

Tommy leaned for a kiss, "Won't you give me a smile?" she added cheekily.

Tommy laughed and obliged, smiling as he pulled her into him. "I'll give you more than a smile," he whispered huskily.

Kimberly growled as she fell backwards, Tommy half leaning on top of her, as the two embraced again.

Once parted, Tommy braced himself on his elbow and looked down at her, brushing her hair out of her face and caressing her cheek.

"I love you, handsome," she told him earnestly.

Tommy smiled. "I love you too, beautiful."

_**AN: SO? What do you think? THE STORY IS NOT OVER YET! There are still plenty of things to resolve (and plenty of things that could go wrong). So read and review and let me know what you think! Oh yeah, a quick but shameless plug; my newest story, Knights of Zodiaca, is up and running. Please check it out! Thanks! Catch ya on the flip side!**_


	30. What Doesn't Bend, Breaks

_**AN: Hey folks! Holy crap, here's an update! AGH! Sorry I've been so long gone. I just moved across the country and am finally settled. I have a new story "Beauty and the Beast"; please check it out if you're so inclined. I apologized in that Author's Note about not updating sooner but promising I would. And here I am! Anyway, when we left Tommy and Kimberly last they had just made amends and confessed their love. What happens now? Where can Tommy and Kim go from here? How will everyone else react? Find out below! Please read and review! Enjoy!**_

_**AN2: This chapter had been rated M for explicit sexual content. You have been warned.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Pulse**_

_**Chapter 30**_

_**What Doesn't Bend, Breaks.**_

_January 1__st__, 2008_

_5:59am_

_Tommy's House_

"What time is it?" Kimberly asked groggily as she remained content against the sand.

Tommy rolled his eyes and playfully shoved her. "I wasn't wearing a watch to go skinny dipping."

Kimberly giggled. "Should we head back?" She asked seriously.

Tommy shrugged, still resting on his elbows as he gazed at Kim longingly.

"I don't really want to. Jason's probably still awake. Waiting," He mused.

Kimberly gave him a grimace and rolled over, turning on her side away from him. Tommy adjusted his position and lied down next to her, spooning an arm over her protectively. Kimberly absently stoked his arm with her fingers as the couple fell into a comfortable silence.

"Tommy?" Kimberly asked after a moment. Tommy raised his head slightly and brushed a stray hair from her face.

"What is it, Kim?" he asked.

"I need you…" she whispered, lingering her thought before flipping over to face him.

Tommy relinquished his wrapped arm and sat up with her, grabbing her hands and squeezing them.

"I need you too, Kim. I really do. It took me a long time to get over myself and admit it, but I need you too," he confessed with a smile.

"Didn't we already kind of cover that?" he playfully challenged.

Kimberly bit her lip and smirked, charmed by Tommy's literal sense of her comment.

"What?" he asked, missing the point.

"I need you, Tommy," she attempted again, scooting closer to him and caressing his arm lightly.

"Okay…" he affirmed, nodding slowly. He still didn't comprehend Kimberly's implication.

Kimberly giggled and shook her head. "You really don't get it, do you?" she asked suggestively, mindlessly tugging on the hem of his shirt.

"Get what? What?"

Kimberly pursed her lips into a frown and sat on her knees. Tommy leaned back and rested his weight on his arms as he waited for Kim to clarify.

Slowly, Kimberly got on all fours and crawled slowly toward him. Tommy laughed as her toned legs straddled his waist as she continued to move up his body.

"Kim, what are you doing?" he asked in amusement as Kimberly carefully reached for her top and languidly pulled it over her head, letting it fall behind her.

Tommy unconsciously licked his lips as he grinned with sheepish approval. "You know," he choked out, feeling his throat go dry. "I know I've seen this before…but it uh…"

Kimberly's hand began to pull his shirt off as well, breaking his concentration. Once he too was shirtless, she traced the outline of his chest with her fingertips, lowering her face to place small kisses every now and then.

Tommy squirmed in his seat and inhaled sharply, trying desperately to control his body's reaction to Kimberly sudden contact.

"I know I've seen you…like this….before…." he began again, moaning in between short breaths as Kimberly's tongue ran along his collarbone and neck.

"Like this…before…..but it never gets……KIM!" he said suddenly, grabbing her by the arms and holding her in place to face him.

She looked at him innocently and shrugged. "What?"

Tommy rolled his eyes and snickered. "Are you gonna let me finish my thought?"

Kimberly bit her lip and cocked her head to once side in feigned consideration before looking back at him and shaking a silent negative before giggling.

"I'm trying to pay you a compliment," he said indignantly.

"And I'm trying to say thank you," she breathed in his ear, before placing another kiss on his neck.

Tommy closed his eyes slightly and shuddered. "Kim."

"I want you," she whispered again, making a trail of soft pecks from his jaw to his lips.

Kimberly didn't wait for his answer before devouring his mouth with her own. Tommy's now throbbing loins compelled him to grab her by the waist and turn her over, keeping their kiss intact as he now rested on top of her.

Kimberly bit his lower lip and groaned with lusty hunger as Tommy now made his way down her neck and chest until his mouth found her breasts, small but firm and lightly dusted with a coat of sand.

He raised his hand and lightly brushed the grains away, causing Kim to moan appreciatively. He teased her even more as his tongue carefully tickled the tip of her nipple as his other hand massaged her legs.

"Tommy," she barely called out, her breath shortening with every flick of his tongue on her body.

"It never gets old," he said softly with a wink before moving down to her stomach, tracing her shape with his mouth and one hand as his other hand remained stroking her legs with his fingertips.

Kimberly bit her lip through a smile as she grabbed his right hand and pulled it up to reach the hem of her shorts.

Tommy caught on and immediately obliged, tugging down her shorts in a painfully slow motion. Kimberly was becoming restless and twisted in her submissive position, begging Tommy to strip her down faster.

Tommy smiled wickedly as he finally slipped the last leg off of her petite frame and tossed her shorts to the side. Kimberly greedily grabbed the waistband of his pants before Tommy caught her hands in his and pressed them back down into the sand.

"You first," he breathed, lowering himself back down to Kimberly's tight stomach and starting a trail of kisses at her belly button. His hands, still holding her arms down, slowly slithered their way up her arms before resting his left hand on one breast as the right found her stomach. He pushed himself further down into a more comfortable position as his mouth drew closer and closer to Kimberly's mound.

Kimberly bit her lip in pained anticipation as his first kiss was placed atop her black mess of curls. His left hand left her breast, allowing Tommy to loop his arm under her thigh, prying her legs slightly farther apart. As his right hand remained braced against her abs, Tommy carefully swept his tongue along the length of her slit, causing Kimberly to whimper. Smiling at the sound, Tommy repeated the motion. Kimberly dug her hands into the sand as Tommy's tongue slid in and out, deep between her walls.

"Oh…" Kimberly's soft panting became harder as Tommy wrapped his mouth before her folds and gently nibbled, sucked and lapped.

"Don't stop…..keep….fast….please…..please, please…." Kimberly mumbled mindlessly as Tommy drew her closer and closer to climax. Kimberly's hands scrambled for Tommy's head and grabbed his shorn locks tightly, steering his skull as he wagged his tongue amidst her flesh.

Tommy attempted to lovingly remove Kimberly's hands from his head as he remained attached to her domain, to no avail. Kimberly swatted his hand away and slammed her crotch into his face, demanding more force.

Tommy obliged by quickly darting his tongue in and out, back and forth, in a zigzag pattern, teasing her as she struggled to catch her orgasm.

Kimberly couldn't take it any more; her hands hastily lifted Tommy's face and crashed his mouth into hers. Startled but obediently, Tommy returned the kiss with as much pressure. As he was occupied within their embrace, Kimberly's hands pushed their way down his stomach and yanked at his pants. Tommy tried to help her before he sat up, momentarily breaking the kiss and shook off each leg before flipping Kim's lithe body back on top of him, sending himself to the sandy ground with a thud.

Kimberly smiled hungrily as she wasted no time, wrapping her small hands around Tommy's swollen member and swiftly began pumping the engorged shaft with ferocity.

Tommy choked back repeated shuddering and throaty moans as Kimberly's mouth lightly caressed the tip of his cock, teasing him with the promise of more.

"Hmm," he mumbled, shifting his body to accommodate Kim's place in between his legs. A wry smile spread across her face as she carelessly flicked the tip as Tommy's pelvis jutted up suddenly. She cooed seductively before pressing her parted lips to the bottom of his length and let her tongue graze upward, slowly tugging the delicate skin.

Tommy arched his back in anguish. His groans became mere huffs of air as he pleaded with her to finally take him in her mouth.

"Kim…Kim…uh…. on…." He muttered. The words barely escaping his mouth as Kimberly finally pried her lips apart and slowly engulfed Tommy's cock, vanishing behind the curtain of her hair.

"Uh…..hmm…..mm-mm…uh…oh yes….oh……oh my god……oh my god…..oh yes…..oh come on….yes…..yes…..yes…..yes, thank you….yes…." Tommy's pitiful whimpering continued as Kimberly began to increase her pace, bathing the shaft with her lips and tongue.

Kimberly smiled all the while, her fingers tracing feathery strokes against his stomach as her mouth tortured him with the quickening fellatio.

"Kim….Kim….Kim…..Kim…" he started repeating, reaching his breaking point. He grabbed her by arms and raised her up quickly, needing to be inside her before he exploded. She obliged him by lifting her body up to allow him to penetrate her fiercely.

Kimberly laughed at the sheer animalism that had overtook them both as they wildly clashed into each other, Tommy's member plunging into Kimberly further and further with each new thrust.

She braced her herself against his shoulders pushing off for more resistance as Tommy dug his hands into her posterior. Tommy smiled in awe as he watched Kimberly's head fall back in satisfaction, her breasts bouncing up and down and they rode together in rhythm.

Their cacophony of moans and grunts grew more intense, Tommy releasing his orgasm in a choked groan as Kimberly followed close behind. She continued to grind into him a moment after completion, slowly releasing him from inside of her.

Tommy grabbed the back of head and pressed her mouth into his, strangely proud of the deed they had just accomplished together. Kimberly giggled through the embrace before Tommy aided her body back down to the sand and broke the kiss.

The couple lay silent for a moment, catching their breath and basking in the afterglow of a twelve year pent up tension that had been given its just exoneration.

Tommy smiled to himself, raising his hands behind his head as Kimberly remained still. His small reverie was cut short by Kim's sudden crying. He instinctively sat up and regarded her worriedly.

"Beautiful, what's wrong?" he asked without thinking, pulling her up to hold her in his arms.

She pushed him away tenderly, more for the need of air than anything else. Kim looked up at him and bit her lip, fresh tears threatening to fall again.

"I don't know what came over me," she said softly as Tommy absently stroked her hair.

"We did get a little carried away," he admitted bashfully, though smiling at the thought.

"Tommy, this is how it all started," she told him seriously, staring back at him with concern.

Tommy narrowed his gaze and thought to berate her for drudging up the past again, but decided against it. He understood her concern. It was legitimate, and while their actions may have been made with the noblest of intentions, their paths toward resolution hadn't always been favorable.

"What happens," Kimberly started. "What happens if something…..if somehow I…..Tommy what if this was a mistake?"

Tommy looked at her with shame in his eyes. He didn't want to believe there was any truth in her statement, but there was.

"I love you," he said simply.

"I love you too," she assured him in return. "But I've got a terrible track record," she reminded him, painfully joking.

Tommy snickered and caressed her cheek. "Well, I'd hope that if something were to happen again…you'd tell me this time."

"Me too," she said feebly.

"Kim, I'm here. With you, right now. We don't have to hide anything from each other anymore."

"I know, I know," she echoed uncertainly. "But what if I decide I can't do it? You know? I mean, I've barely survived these last twelve years with Annie. I know you and I have come a long way and I wouldn't trade this moment for the world…its just…."

"You don't know if you're ready to have another child?" he guessed.

Kimberly nodded before climbing over him to retrieve their clothes.

"And what would that mean?" she asked, handing off his shirt and pants to Tommy as she slid her own back on.

"What would what mean?" he repeated back to her as he too redressed himself.

"I mean, what would we do? What would be expected of us if I got pregnant again?"

"I would help you take care of a new child, Kim. Give me some credit. And Annie's already old enough to handle the commute back and forth. She'd help too."

Kimberly shook her head in frustration and grabbed Tommy's hand.

"I mean, what would we be to each other?"

Tommy's face dropped, realizing the sudden implication. He released Kim's hand and stood up, dusting himself off before scratching his head.

Kimberly looked up and watched the fear and panic that she had struck him with. It was a fair question. They had after all, come a long way. They had finally admitted that they still loved one another and confessed to wanting to be more involved in each other's lives.

And although the prospect of growing old with Kimberly, celebrating many glorious years of marriage, spoiling their imaginary onslaught of children had once been a dream fulfilled by Tommy, he had managed to get over that ideal.

But here she was, back in his life once again, the itch of tortured longing finally scratched. She still loved him, he loved her. Why wasn't it easy to ask her for more?

"Tommy?" Kimberly asked after a moment.

He shook himself from his thoughts and looked back down at her longingly. He smiled as he offered her his hand. She obliged and lifted herself from the ground and stood beside him, still anxiously awaiting a response.

"What do you want?" he asked.

Kimberly's eyes widened as she bit her lip. "I don't know…"

"And don't say I don't know like you're going to upset me or freak me out by telling me the truth. I want the truth. It may not be the same thing I want, but I want to know where you really stand."

Kimberly blinked through her watering eyes before tucking her hair behind her ears.

"What do you want?"

"I want," she began, lowering her head. "I want to marry you," she said.

Tommy swallowed painfully and nodded slowly. "You don't think it's too soon?"

"Too soon? Tommy, I've wanted that for almost fifteen years! Do you even realize how pathetic I feel?"

"Why?"

"Because, for twelve of those fifteen years, I never even spoke to you! I'm the one who lied, the one who broke things off. I'm the entire reason our relationship suffered in the first place and yet I always hoped we'd live happily ever after."

"Kim, I felt pathetic too! God knows I felt like an asshole on more than one occasion. And yes, there was a time that that's all I wanted for us too. But now, I'm not so sure Kim."

"You love me! I love you! We just made love!" Kim cried out frantically.

"You know I love you. I don't know how many times I have to say it to make you believe me. But we can love one another, be in love with one another, and not be married. We can keep our own lives and help raise Annie together. I'm okay with that. I like knowing that I have you in my life again, and I want you there. But marriage won't ensure anything. Why do want to marry me?"

"I want to be with you and only you, Tommy."

"I only want to be with you too, Kim. But I can't give up the life I have. I've worked too hard for it. And so have you. I don't want you to give up on all the things you've accomplished on your own. If we got married, someone would have to choose."

"I don't mind giving it up if it means we can be together as a family. Annie really needs that, and so do I."

"Kim," Tommy stuttered as Kimberly continued.

"And what about…you know…." Kimberly asked awkwardly, motioning around them to indicate the intimate display that had passed.

"What if tonight leads to another child? Tommy, what if we have another kid? Isn't that enough of a reason to make us official?"

"Kim, you're rambling."

"No I'm not! I'm serious, Tommy. I know I sound like a broken record but, raising two kids, traveling back and forth, trading responsibility…..I just…ya know…..hoped that if we ever did reconcile……things could change."

"Kim," Tommy sighed. "I'm not saying that I don't want to be with you forever. I'm not saying that I don't want to marry you someday. I want to make you the happiest woman alive, I do. But I think we're both on a high right now. We're running on fumes, Beautiful. I know we acted on impulse back there and I'm to blame too, I wouldn't have stopped it for the world. But getting married now…..doesn't feel right."

Kimberly bit her lip and nodded slowly; processing the seemingly pointless conversation she had just shared. She felt a bit foolish, telling him the absolute truth and not hearing that he wanted the same. It stung, hearing Tommy's faded romanticism. He had lost his whimsy somewhere between making love and her confession, and now she hated herself for admitting her desire.

"What are you thinking?" he asked suddenly.

"Nothing," she lied.

"I surprised you didn't I? You thought I wanted the same thing, didn't you?"

"No. No, I figured I stood alone," she told him briskly, not wanting to burst into tears again.

"Kim…."

"What happened? One minute you're joking about having six kids running around and a dog and the next you're saying it's a rash decision?"

"Kim, with all we've been through…"

"You don't think we could survive marriage after all we've been through?"

"No. Not until we make up the time we've lost. Kim, this shit we've dealt with, these wounds…..we're still trying to mend them. If we got married now, all we'd be doing is trying to not one another—"

"You want to hurt me?"

"Kim," he warned in frustration. "We need to reestablish us, together. We've changed Kim, and I don't want to try to recapture something that can't be recaptured. Nor do I want to walk on eggshells to save ourselves from anymore bullshit we might encounter.

If we get married, whenever we get married….I want to fight with you. I want to know you so well that we can scream and yell and disagree and fuck and fight and then kiss and make up. But I don't want to save us from danger anymore. Danger's gonna find us no matter what. So we might as well hit it head on and be as real with each other as we can."

"Wow," Kimberly muttered. "You've really given this a lot of thought, haven't you?"

"You don't feel so pathetic now do you?" He teased, glad the moment had lightened temporarily.

Kimberly smiled in spite of herself. "Okay," she said finally. "Let's take it slow. See if we even like each other anymore."

Tommy laughed. "Oh, I don't think we'll have _that _much trouble," he said, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her toward him as they slowly started walking back to the house.

"I don't know. If you meant what you said…I have been known to screw things up in record time," she joked.

"Undefeated, I hear," he jibed, poking her in the arm as she stuck her tongue out.

"Come here," he said, stopping to hug her. She held onto him tightly, both squeezing one another in a tight embrace, suddenly grateful for the first hiccup in their newfound relationship.

"I really hope we like each other," she mumbled, the side of her face pressed against his chest as he stroked her hair mindlessly.

"Me too, Beautiful. Me too."

_**AN: What do you think? Do Tommy and Kimberly still have a chance? What if Kimberly gets pregnant again? Will they discover new things about one another that could keep them apart? AGH! Find out next time! Please Review! Catch ya on the flip side! Oh yeah; A new Knights of Zodiaca chapter coming soon! Also, please check out my newest story; Beauty and the Beast! Thanks again!**_


	31. School Night

_**Pulse**_

_**AN: Whoa. Long, long, long time, no update eh? Haha! It's nice to be back and I thank everyone who has messaged me about this story. I'm forever sorry for taking so long. Thank you too you all who've kept up with my other stories and stuck with me. A reread may be in order, but for those of you caught up…here's the next installment. Please review and as always, enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing**_.

_**Chapter 31**_

_**School Night**_

_January 1__st__, 2008_

_12:00pm_

_Tommy's House_

"I thought you said you went to bed?" Kimberly asked Jason suspiciously as she poured herself some coffee.

Jason took a sip from his own mug and smirked, "I did, sis. Ain't no lie. But of course, when the door opened around seven this morning, I was startled and made sure someone wasn't breaking in."

"So you spied on us," Kimberly implied.

Jason laughed, "You say potato…"

"Well you can stop plotting now, you got your wish granted, weirdo," Kimberly shook her head as she let the hot liquid rush down her throat, awakening her senses after a long evening.

"One resolution down, four more to go," Jason said snidely, "Have you told Annie?"

Kimberly stole a deliberate glance at the microwave clock before returning an equally stern one toward Jason.

"It's noon, what do you think?" she asked him bitingly.

Jason snickered, "Are you going to?"

"Of course I'll tell her. I mean, Tommy and I should probably tell her together."

"It's not like she needs a pep talk for this, Kimmie. She wants this for you guys too, ya know."

"We said we're going to take things slow, okay? Why get her hopes up? It's not like—"

Kim's thought was abruptly cut off by a screaming teenage girl barreling toward her.

"WE'RE MOVING TO REEFSIDE! WE'RE LIVING WITH DAD! WE GET TO LIVE WITH DAD!"

Kimberly's eyes widened in shock as Jason bit his lip, stifling his laugh as Annie came bounding into the kitchen and tackled Kimberly with an enthusiastic hug.

"I'm so happy you and dad made up! I knew you would! I'm so happy! Thank you mom! Thank you so much! This is awesome! This year's gonna be awesome!"

Kimberly absently hugged her daughter back, shaking her head in disbelief as Tommy nervously entered the kitchen moments later.

"Hey," came Tommy's timid greeting as he crossed the room to indulge in the coffee as well.

"Umm, Tommy…" Kimberly began as Annie anxiously bounced on her feet in between them.

"This is awesome," she kept repeating, Jason nodding silently in agreement as he sadistically watched Kim's annoyed expression.

"Morning, beautiful," Tommy answered, placing a brave kiss on her lips amidst their company.

Kim pulled away and grabbed Tommy's arm, pulling him from the kitchen.

"Could I have a word?" she started as Tommy gasped, trying to keep his now full mug from spilling on him as his free arm was being dragged in the opposite direction.

"Don't listen, or at least pretend you're not hearing this," Kimberly shot back to Annie and Jason quickly before returning back to Tommy and she led to the couch in the living room.

"What's the matter?" Tommy feigned innocence.

"What the hell was that?" Kim asked bluntly, setting her coffee on the table beside them.

"She woke me up this morning and asked if we were okay, and I didn't think to lie about it," Tommy told her simply.

"What's all this moving to Reefside business?"

"I told her you guys were moving in with me."

"What? What about what we talked about? Taking things slow? You not wanting anyone to give up their life?"

"What about you saying that you wanted a family? Okay with giving it all up if it meant we could be together?" Tommy countered.

"Well, that was when I thought you'd want to get married but you totally put the kibosh on that idea so I accepted it," Kimberly challenged.

"Oh, so I can only offer my home if I propose to you?" Tommy asked with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh, so it's okay if I pack up _my_ life because I'm at least getting _half_ of what I wanted?"

"You _accepted_ it? I put _the kibosh_ on getting married? Wow, Kim. Thanks for humoring me," Tommy snickered.

"Don't pull that shit with me," she said, tugging on his shirt to pull him closer, since their conversation had been reduced to harsh whispers, "Don't make me feel guilty because I was honest about what I wanted."

"So was I Kim. I don't want to get married right now and I think you're being really linear to think that that's the only way we can be together."

Kimberly stared him down incredulously, mouth agape. "Really? Am I? _Linear,_ you say? Wanting to get married? It's not like we're a new couple, Tommy! It's not like this is the first time either of us have entertained that idea."

"I think we should see how we live together. My mom and dad did it before they got married and they said it was the best decision they ever made!"

"Well great for them!" Kimberly huffed, folding her arms across her chest as she sank into the couch.

"Beautiful, are we really having this fight?" Tommy asked her with a sly smile, pulling her into him as he wrapped his arms around her.

Kimberly remained stoic and continued to pout, "Yes. We are," she said adamantly.

Tommy laughed as he started to tickle her sides, making Kimberly growl angrily.

"Stop it," she said, fighting the urge to smile as he continued to trace his fingers up and down her body playfully.

"I mean it, stop!" she howled, giggling sporadically while trying to punch him to desist.

"You can't stay mad at me!" he told her, hiking her tiny body full onto his lap as he held onto her waist, tightly.

"YES I CAN!" she yelled, sending Jason and Annie into the room to see what the nefarious couple had started yelling about now.

"Guys," Annie grimaced in confusion. Jason chuckled and rolled his eyes, grabbing Annie's shoulder and escorting her back into the kitchen.

"Let's let the…ahem, _adults,_ finish their discussion." He barked loudly, clearing his throat as Kim and Tommy halted abruptly and gave Jason an apologetic look.

"Hey," he told them in his own whisper, "You're either happy or you're fighting, okay? None of this happy screaming crap. Peaches is starting to get really confused."

Kimberly rolled her eyes as she crawled off of Tommy's lap. "We're fine," she said dryly.

"Slight bump in the road," Tommy agreed before Kimberly's hand stopped him.

"No, more like a pothole, but we're fine," she amended, turning to Jason with a glare.

"Kim," Tommy grabbed her arm once more before Jason retreated back to the kitchen with a shake of his head.

"We'll talk about this later," she told him, trying to pull from his grasp as he pulled her back into face him. "Annie has to go back to school tomorrow," Kimberly told him seriously.

"I know," he sighed, "Which is why we can't put this off."

"Later, Tommy. As in later today, okay?" she conceded as Tommy nodded dutifully, knowing he wasn't going to get a straight answer from her yet.

The phone rang, eliciting a shriek from Annie as she answered cheerfully, greeting Aisha on the other line.

"I love you," Tommy said quietly, allowing Kim to lead them back into the kitchen.

Kimberly smiled in spite of herself and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "Later," she reminded him flatly.

Tommy shook his head as they reentered the room, as Annie hung up the phone.

"Aunt Isha wants us to meet everyone at the hotel for lunch!"

"Why don't you go ahead and get ready then, okay sweetie?" Tommy instructed as Annie nodded happily and sprinted off to her room.

Jason began cleaning up, taking the used mugs from the table and turned on the water.

"So, when can we expect you, sis?" Jason said suddenly.

Kimberly sighed and pressed her hands to her temples in an effort to console her slowly deteriorating good mood.

"Jase, I don't want to bicker with you right now," Kim warned.

"We're gonna talk about things later," Tommy explained.

"Well you know everyone's going to be asking questions at lunch, right?" Jason told him.

"So?" Kimberly snapped.

"Well, I'm just saying it'd be nice to know what the deal is," Jason clarified.

"Why is it their business?" Kim barked again.

"Kim," Tommy started.

"No, just stop! Everyone! Jason, stop! I can forgive your little matchmaking escapades as charming and I thank you, I really do. But now we have to decide what all of that means. And that, I'm sorry to say, is not up for discussion."

"Kim, I was just giving you a bad time—" Jason began.

"I know, Jase. I know. And I know that none of you have anything but our best interests in mind, but why is it always us? Why is it always Tommy and Kimberly, blah blah blah? Jesus! Don't you people have your own problems?"

And with that, Kimberly left the kitchen, shaking her head in disgust. Jason looked to Tommy who just stood there and shrugged.

"I don't completely disagree with that," Tommy said quietly.

"Just keep her happy, bro," Jason offered in defeat, resuming his dish washing.

Tommy snickered as he patted Jason's back sympathetically before retiring back to his bedroom to get ready for lunch.

_January 1__st__, 2008_

_3:30pm_

_Reefside Hotel_

Lunch had gone by quickly, and everyone had stayed gathered at the hotel to say goodbye to their friends as their holiday visits came to a close.

"We'll talk in a couple of days," Aisha whispered to Kim as they hugged and parted. Kimberly nodded and gave her friend a peck on the cheek before turning her attention to Zack.

"Take it easy, bro," Jason said to Adam as they hugged quickly and gave each other a high five.

"Thanks. Don't forget about the wedding," Adam told him cheekily.

"Oh my gosh, that's right! When is it?" Kimberly squealed after her and Tanya had finished their hug.

"In the spring we've decided," Tanya told everyone. "Don't worry, you're all invited. But it's going to be an intimate wedding. We don't need a year to plan," she said with a laugh as Adam sighed.

"Lucky guy," Tommy nudged him playfully, receiving an annoyed look from Kim before she quickly turned to Katherine and gave her a tight hug.

"By lovely," Katherine cooed. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right?" she asked the small brunette.

Kimberly nodded softly and gave her a smile. "Thanks, Kat. I know. We should keep in better touch," she added.

"Definitely," the blonde chirped.

"Take care of your folks," Zack told Annie, rocking her back and forth as they released their embrace.

"I will," Annie promised seriously.

The two laughed as the departing group gathered their suitcases and climbed into their respective vehicles.

"Bye! Take care!"

"Call me!"

"Love you!"

"Love you more!"

"Happy new year!"

"Congratulations!"

Jason had to laugh at Rocky's last cheeky comment as his car drove off, sending winks and hollers in Tommy and Kimberly's direction as he waved goodbye.

"What a little shit!" Kim griped.

"MOM!" Annie scolded.

"Oh you heard worse this week," Kim shrugged the comment away as the tiny group made their way back to Tommy's jeep.

"I can't believe Tanya and Adam are getting married!" Kim sighed.

"The first official couple, huh?" Jason nodded as the foursome climbed into the car.

"Who would have thought?" Tommy said with a shake of his head.

"Did Aunt T and Uncle Adam date in high school?" Annie asked, turning to look at the three adults.

Jason and Kimberly were sitting in the back, Kimberly directly behind Tommy in the driver's seat.

"No, Peaches. Tanya and Adam didn't really start dating until college," Jason explained.

"So then you guys already beat them to it," Annie said with a satisfied nod.

"Who? Me and your mom?" Tommy asked, genuinely confused.

"Well, you guys dated in high school right? So like, out of your friends, you're the first official couple," Annie reiterated.

"No, Uncle Jay meant that because they're getting married, that makes them the first official couple," Kimberly explained, shooting a sideways glance to Tommy.

"See sweetie, some people think you're not a real couple until you're married," Tommy added, firing his own glare back at Kim.

"Your father's right," Kimberly sang in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"So, are you guys going to get married?" Annie dared to ask.

Jason shut his eyes and buried his head in his hands, simultaneously loving and hating the child's audacity.

"Of course, sweetie," Tommy said first, sending Kimberly's expression into one of dismay.

"Eventually," Kimberly fired back sweetly, "Maybe."

Annie bit her lip as she watched the subtext of her parents brim before her. Tommy pulled into the driveway of the house and hopped out of the car immediately, opening Kimberly's door with unnecessary vigor.

"Miss Hart," he obliged bitingly, emphasizing both words harshly.

"Misanthrope Oliver," she muttered back, pushing him out of her way.

Jason escorted Annie out of the car and watched with her as Tommy and Kimberly bustled inside the house hurriedly, ready to explode.

Jason and the young girl got the door as Tommy and Kimberly's argument began, wincing at the sound of their voices already rising.

"Here we go again," Annie sighed as Jason shut the behind him, shaking his head.

"Are you missing a knife Tommy?" Kimberly screamed, "Oh, here it is," she continued, indicating her back and miming its removal.

Tommy rolled his eyes and laughed, "Oh Jesus, Kim. Nice drama queen attitude," he snapped back.

"How dare you undermine my feelings in front of Annie!" she hissed.

"We were both playing that game, Kimberly! Don't put this all on me!"

"Why are we doing this?" Kim shouted.

"Cause you're too stubborn to let this go!"

"Because I want to get married? Wanting to get married makes me stubborn?"

"No, not believing me when I tell you that I love you and just because I don't want to get married thinking that means I don't love you as much makes you stubborn!" Tommy riffed.

"Nice grammar, Doctor!" Kim shouted hysterically.

"Are you gonna spout stupid jokes the whole time? Or are we gonna fight this out?"

"Why are you so hell bent on not moving forward?" Kim dared.

"Why is marriage the next logical step, Kim?" Tommy challenged.

"What if you find somebody else, Tommy? What if I'm not good enough for you?"

"I could find somebody else even if we were married!"

"So I'm not good enough for you?" Kimberly insinuated.

"I didn't say that!"

"You implied that you could find somebody else!"

"I said," he started before backtracking with a fume, "I meant that being married doesn't guarantee security, Kim."

"Yes it does!"

"NO IT DOESN'T! YOUR PARENTS GOT DIVORCED KIM! You should know better than anyone that marriage won't solve your problems!"

At this, Kimberly broke into sobs, shaking her head violently. Tommy ran to console her, but to no avail.

"No! Don't!" she cried, pushing him away. "You know, you would think that would be my logic, wouldn't you? But it's not. I don't want Annie to have to deal with any of the bullshit I dealt with. Not anymore. I don't want her passed back and forth between us."

"That's why I want you to move in, so she doesn't have to," Tommy reminded her.

"But what does that say to her that we're willing to live together but not willing to marry each other?"

"Have you even asked her? Is that why you want this? Annie? What's the deal Kim?"

"I just…I just didn't think things would be this way, ya know? This is not how I saw my life," she told him pathetically.

Tommy chuckled and grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her into a hug. "Me either, Kim. God knows…but we're getting nowhere like this," he told her softly.

"I just wish you hadn't promised Annie something I'm not sure about," Kim said, slightly reprimanding him.

Tommy gave her a bashful look and nodded as they pulled apart, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Tell you what, it's too soon to move you guys in anyway," he began. "Why don't let the school year finish and in the meantime we'll spend the weekends together. That'll give Jason and I a chance to get things around here together, set up the transfer paperwork for you and Annie; and then we'll go from there."

Kimberly nodded and bit her lip, appreciating his understanding. "That sounds like a great plan," she told him sweetly.

A knock came at the door as Jason let himself in. "Hey bro, what's up?" Tommy asked as he and Kim stood up together.

"It got quiet," Jason told them. "Annie and I got worried," he said with a smirk.

"We're fine," Kimberly said. Jason gave her a worried glance and then shot one to Tommy for confirmation.

"Actually fine, this time," Tommy assured him.

"Where is Annie? I think we should all huddle up in the kitchen to discuss some things," Kim suggested.

"She's in her room, I'll get her," Jason offered with a nod as he disappeared behind the door.

"So, we're really going to try this?" Kim asked Tommy once more, turning back to him with one hand on the doorknob.

"Yeah, beautiful, we're really going to try this. Nothing has to change just yet and instead of giving each other awkward goodbyes when we drop Annie off we get to stay," Tommy said happily.

"Yeah," she cooed as he drew closer to her, lowering his head to hers as they shared a soft kiss.

"And we get to do that," he added cheekily. Kimberly giggled and slapped his chest playfully as they made their way to the kitchen where Jason and Annie awaited eagerly.

"Okay," Kimberly said with a heavy sigh. "Here's the deal…"

_**AN: And…..we're back! YAH! Okay, the school year returns, a spring wedding, and more drama and possible happiness! Until then, please review and catch ya on the flipside! **_


	32. Name, Dates and Times

_**Pulse**_

_**AN: As promised, I've updated another story. Thank you so much to everyone who's been reviewing all my stories and for the glowing compliments. I am sincerely touched and so incredibly flattered! Ok, here we go! Enjoy!**_

_**Chapter 32**_

_**Names, Dates and Times**_

_January 31__st__, 2008_

_4:04pm_

_Kimberly's House_

2008 was beginning shakily. Kimberly had explained everything to Jason and more importantly, Annie. The young girl was visibly upset, to say the least, not understanding why they couldn't move in with Tommy sooner. Jason was up for anything, as long his two closest friends promised to listen to one another.

Returning to school had been tricky, for both Kim and Annie. Mason was no longer Annie's teacher this semester, but that didn't mean she and her mother didn't see him periodically throughout the day. And when they did, it was awkward at best.

Fortunately, the weekend stay-overs Tommy had promised Kim had come as a welcomed retreat to the stress of the weekdays.

Tommy drove up the first weekend after the holiday, bringing food and games for them to partake in during his stay. It had been delightful if not surreal; Tommy cooking the two women dinner, playing Trivial Pursuit and then sending Annie off to bed as if this was their normal routine.

This particular weekend, Kimberly and Annie were packing for their commute to Reefside. Annie had significantly less to pack than Kim, which only brought Kim frustration as Annie prodded her mother an easy solution to this problem.

"Keep stuff at dad's place," Annie suggested.

"Listen, Little Miss Can't Be Wrong," Kimberly threatened as she packed and repacked her belongings, constantly renegotiating her decisions.

"We're going to have all our stuff over there eventually," Annie reasoned, absently tossing about on Kimberly's bed as she watched her mom pack.

"That's still not for sure yet," Kimberly told her, deciding to put back a few t-shirts to save more space.

Annie sat up abruptly and threw Kimberly a disbelieving look. "I thought you said—"

"I know what I said, Anneliese!" Kimberly raised her voice, "Call me old fashioned, but I just don't think a couple should move in together until their married."

"You had a kid before you were married," Annie reminded her sulkily.

Kimberly glared at her daughter, daring her silently to keep up her attitude. But she was right, Kimberly's logic was slightly askew considering…

"Well…" Kimberly stuttered, grasping for a valid point to make. "What if your dad doesn't want all my girly stuff around just yet?"

Annie rolled her eyes at her mother and flopped back down onto a pillow.

"Yeah right, mom," the girl refuted.

"God, you sound just like Jason," Kimberly mumbled under her breath.

"Is Uncle Jay gay?" Annie asked suddenly, making Kimberly stop in her tracks and crack a smile.

"What?" Kim shrieked.

"Uncle Jay's not married. And he's never had a girlfriend or anything. So I thought he might be gay. It's totally cool if he is. Jessica Chambers has a gay uncle and Patrick Flannigan's dad is gay and—"

"Jason is not gay, Annie," Kimberly interrupted.

"Then why doesn't—"

"You're uncle Jay was in love with a very special woman and they never got the chance so he's kind of….sensitive, ya know? Not ready to move on yet."

"Who?" Annie asked excitedly.

"Your aunt Trini," Kimberly said softly.

"Aunt Trini and Uncle Jay?" Annie squealed, sitting up on her haunches anxiously.

"Yeah, they liked each other since we were little but neither of them ever really said anything."

"Why not?"

Kimberly mused at the question, something she had wondered many times in her youth. She laughed sadly at the thought, how much effort Jason had always put into getting Tommy and her together had never left him with the chance to deal with his own feelings.

"I don't know," Kimberly answered after a moment. "I think he was scared. He loved Trini very much, I think his daydream of her being in love with him was easier than admitting it, just in case she didn't feel the same."

"Did she?"

"Yeah, sweetie. She did, more than he ever knew," Kimberly told her softly, tears threatening to fall as she thought about everything Jason had endured after Trini's death.

"I'm sorry Aunt Tri's gone," Annie said, noticing her mother's tearful expression. Kimberly gave the girl a small smile and sat down next to her on the bed and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

"Me too," Kim said. "I miss her so much sometimes."

"I'm sorry I'm the one you have to talk to," Annie said sadly, burying her face in her mother's neck.

Kimberly laughed through her tears and pulled away to look at the girl. "Don't be silly! I love having you to talk to! I would go crazy without you," Kim assured her.

"Even when I _make_ you crazy?" Annie joked, glad to hear her mom's laughter.

"Yes," Kim said, wiping her face, "even when you _make_ me crazy."

"I saw Mason today," Annie said after a moment.

Kimberly grimaced and gave her daughter a cautionary look. "Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. He didn't say anything to me, but it was weird," Annie explained coolly. "His face healed," she added with a laugh.

Kimberly knew she shouldn't have enjoyed her daughter's snide comment as much as she did, but she couldn't help herself. The two burst into a fit of giggles at the thought.

"Well, that's the best part of him so, I guess that's good at least," Kimberly said with a wave of her hand, standing back up to finish her packing.

The phone rang, Kimberly turned to grab it before Annie reached the receiver.

"Hey dad," she chirped. "Yeah, mom's still packing."

"Tell him we're on our way," Kim said in a hushed whisper.

"He says some things never change," she said to her mom as Kimberly rolled her eyes.

"I've only got one bag!" Kim shouted across the room, talking to Tommy through Annie.

"He says you're only staying for two days," Annie reported back.

"Tell your dad that unless he'd like me to show up in sweatpants and dirty t-shirts then he can stop whining!" Kimberly yelled again, laughing.

"She says," Annie started before Tommy cut her off on the other end. "He says you can show up naked for all he cares!" Annie said with a laugh before realization dawned.

"Eww!" Annie cried, dropping the phone and jumping off the bed. "You guys can talk. That was nasty," Annie said with a shiver as she scurried from the room.

Kimberly laughed as she picked up the phone and resumed the conversation.

"Hey handsome," she cooed. "Don't worry we'll be there within the hour. Yes, I promise. Well I have too much stuff….No, I know it's only for the weekend but…well…"

Kimberly smiled as she and Tommy playfully argued about her packing habits before Annie's earlier advice sounded in her head.

"Tommy, do you think…..I mean, I totally understand if you can't or don't want me to or think its weird….okay, okay…..could I maybe, possibly, perhaps leave some of my stuff at your place?"

Kimberly flinched in preparation for a resounding no from him before breaking out into a wide grin as Tommy laughed happily on the other end.

"Really? That's not weird or whatever?" she asked again, hopefully. "Thank you so much. I mean, if it's in the way or anything, ever…."

"I will. Okay. I love you too," she said softly before hanging up the phone.

"Annie, grab you stuff!" She called out to the girl. "We're leaving in twenty minutes!"

_January 31__st __,2008_

_6:30pm_

_Tommy's House_

Tommy was currently holding his side in fits of laughter, leaning against the closet as Kimberly stood beside him, rolling her eyes at his reaction.

"It's not _that_ funny," she muttered as Tommy snorted and went about hanging up Kimberly's clothes.

"Oh babe, yes it is," he said with a tearful chuckle.

"She brings up a good point though," Kimberly considered, taking a hanger from Tommy and hanging up another dress.

"Jason being gay wasn't a good enough point already?" Tommy squeaked out.

"No. I mean, look at all of us on New Year's. I mean, we all have somebody," Kim rationalized.

"Rocky's single," Tommy countered as his laughter began to subside.

"Well, that's not all that surprising," Kim joked. "But Jason could use someone."

"They could use each other," Tommy mused before Kim's hand smacked him playfully on the chest.

"I'm serious! Ever since Trini, Jason's been on the lookout for everyone else. I think _we_ should play matchmaker for a change."

"Kim, I don't want to get involved in Jason's love life," Tommy said with a grimace.

"Why not?" She asked stubbornly. "You certainly owe him one."

Tommy laughed with a shrug, considering Kim's comment to definitely stand true.

"I like your stuff next to mine," he said after a moment, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

Kim smiled and rested contently in his arms for a moment. "It is kind of nice," she said.

"You know what else is kind of nice?" Tommy whispered in her ear.

Kim cooed as his mouth closed in on her ear, nibbling on her lobe before leaving a soft trail of kisses on her neck.

"Tommy," she warned as his hands started roaming along her stomach, playing with the hem of her shirt.

"What?" he breathed into her ear as she shut her eyes, enjoying the sensation of his breath on her skin.

Still behind her, he pressed one hand against her stomach to brace them, as the other hand roamed further north, stopping on her breast. Kimberly moaned softly as he massaged the mound with his hand, still kissing her ears and neck and now moving along her collarbone.

He removed his hands and spun her around to face him, where he then rested his hands against her lower back, sliding one up her shirt and traced his fingers down her spine. Kimberly laced her arms around his neck as his mouth traveled back up her neck and stopped at her mouth.

Kimberly parted her lips to allow his tongue access, nibbling on his lower lip as he smiled against her mouth.

Tommy growled as he slowly pushed her backwards up against the wall, holding Kimberly's arms above her head as he broke the kiss, and once again explored her neck.

"Tommy," she sighed again but was ignored as he released her arms and started moving down her body, which was still pressed against the wall. Tommy licked his lips as he stared at the woman before him.

"Where's Annie?" Kimberly whispered as Tommy ran his hands up her body before stopping her mouth with his finger.

"Shh," he whispered back. "I don't want to break my concentration," he told her.

Kimberly laughed despite the intimate moment as Tommy kissed her forcefully, to which she willingly accepted.

"Tommy," Kimberly said once more, pushing him away. Tommy cleared his throat and looked longingly back at her.

"Sorry," he said.

Kimberly smiled softly and brushed his shirt, straightening his appearance, "Don't be. I just don't want our daughter walking in on us."

"Or Jason," Tommy mused, sending a shudder down his back. Kimberly giggled and playfully slapped his chest.

"So, now what?" Kimberly asked, wandering into the bathroom to fix her make up.

"Well, I didn't really have anything planned this weekend. But whatever you girls want to do is fine by me," he told her, now lounging on his bed.

"We could go see a movie. There's this crazy teen flick thing that Annie keeps rambling on about. We could go see it with her."

"Would she really want us around? I mean, her parents, taking her to the movies?" Tommy asked, cringing. He considered himself a cool guy, even for a newly adapting father, but he knew what he was like when he was Annie's age and a movie with his parents was definitely not cool.

"Why not? She's never had a problem when I've taken her before," Kimberly challenged.

Tommy shrugged and sat up, waiting for Kimberly to finish. "I'm gonna go check on her, ask what she thinks."

"Okay, I'll just be another minute," she assured him.

"You know, we'll be sitting in the dark for a couple of hours, babe. Your make up doesn't need to be perfect," Tommy playfully chided.

Kimberly glared at him through the mirror and kicked the door shut with her foot.

"I'm just saying!" he called out as he descended the stairs in search of Annie.

_January 31__st__, 2008_

_8:00pm_

_Reefside Cineplex_

Much to Tommy's surprise, Annie was delighted by the suggestion of an all family outing. Jason had arrived just as the trio were leaving and agreed to catch up with them at the theatre. So, here they were, the four of them entering the cinema for an 8:15 showing of some vapid teenage romantic comedy.

"What do you want, Peaches?" Jason asked as he and Annie received their ticket stubs and made their way toward the concession stand.

"Not too much junk food, Annie!" Kimberly called after them.

"Lindsay Lohan? _Just My Luck?_ They should have called the movie, _Just Shoot Me. Just Shoot Me, NOW,_" Tommy grumbled as he and Kim went through the gate.

"Don't knock it, dad. You'll love it!" Annie mused, turning around in line to face her dad.

"You used to like these movies when we were in high school," Kim reminded him as she laced her arm through his.

"I saw them for you," he confessed.

"Large popcorn with extra butter and a box of Sour Jacks. Some Milk Duds and.."

"Twizzlers!" Annie interrupted her uncle as he smiled.

"And some Twizzlers. And three large sodas." Jason finished as he pulled out his wallet.

"Jesus, Jase," Tommy said with a laugh.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You guys want anything?" Jason added cheekily.

Kimberly rolled her eyes. "You get to splurge tonight, Miss Thing," she scolded the young girl. "But only because it's the movies and that's what you do."

Annie feigned a brief victory dance as Jason turned back to them. "Seriously, what kind of soda do you want? This kid behind the counter's giving me the stink eye. God forbid he should do his job!" Jason snapped as he shook his head. "Kids these days. No offence, Peaches."

Tommy and Kimberly laughed out loud for a moment before deciding. "Dr. Pepper," Kimberly said as Tommy's face blushed slightly.

"Thank you for not saying diet," he mumbled bashfully as she gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Okay, make that three Dr. Peppers," Jason said to the young boy as he threw a couple more dollars on the counter.

"Hurry up! We're not gonna find seats together!" Annie whined.

"Sweetie, I doubt the theatre's gonna be full," Tommy reasoned as Kimberly relinquished her arm and stepped up to help Jason with the food.

"Annie, come get your stuff. I'm only carrying what's mine," Kimberly instructed her daughter.

Annie obediently rushed back to relieve her mother of the various snacks before rushing off into the theatre.

"You'd be surprised, bro," Jason told Tommy. "Lindsay Lohan's a pretty foxy starlet."

"How would you know?" Tommy muttered under his breath with a chuckle.

"What was that?" Jason asked innocently, grabbing some napkins.

Kimberly glared at Tommy and elbowed his side. "Stop," she mouth silently.

"Come on, let's do this," Jason said with a smirk. "Peaches! Wait up, would ya!"

_January 31__st__, 2008_

_10:30pm_

_Tommy's House_

"So can I, dad? Mom? Can I? It's so totally cool with everyone's parents. It's all been sanctioned and stuff."

Annie dance around the kitchen as Tommy and Kimberly sat at the table, giving each other hesitant looks.

Annie had recognized some of her friends from Angel Grove while they were at the Cineplex. They invited her on a camping trip for the next two days. Kimberly knew a few of the kids from school. Not that Annie had ever seemed close to any of them. But it sounded neat. They'd leave Saturday Morning and drive up to Stone Canyon. The parents even offered to drive her back to Angel Grove since that's where they'd all be headed anyway.

"Sanctioned?" Tommy asked with a chuckle.

"You keep using that word. I do not think that word means what you think it means," Jason chimed in from the living room couch.

"Thank you, Indigo," Kimberly said bemused.

"You said you know some of these kids?" Tommy asked Kim.

"Yeah, I think I may have even taught a few of them. They seem like good kids. I think the trip sounds like fun."

"What's the ratio, here? Boys to girls?" Tommy asked Annie, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Umm, let's see….it's me, Becky, Andrew, Faith, Leslie, Adam, Steve, Brent, Shelly, and Matt."

"Five guys and five girls, huh?" Tommy questioned.

"Perfect, they're even," Kimberly said with a shrug. "What's the big deal?"

"Okay, fine," he started as Annie cheered and moved to hug him before he stopped her with a raised hand. "But I have a few conditions."

"Seriously?" Annie sank into a chair and gave her mom a pleading look.

Kimberly shrugged, intrigued as Annie to hear what Tommy would come up with.

"First, I want to meet the parents who are chaperoning the trip. I expect a phone call when you arrive and when you depart and finally, girls in one tent and boys in another!"

Kimberly started to giggle as Tommy lowered his hand, glaring at his girlfriend.

"What? But dad, there isn't going to be good reception where we're going. I can't just call you whenever!"

"Pay phones. I'll be more than happy to supply you with quarters," Tommy countered.

"You know in his day, pay phones only cost a nickel," Jason piped in.

Kimberly cackled at this, adding to the giggle loop that already infected her from Tommy's previous ultimatum.

" What if there aren't any pay phones?" Annie challenged.

"Then I don't want you going on the trip. Frankly, I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving you someplace where you couldn't reach me. No call, no trip."

Annie huffed and rested her head on the table. "Fine," she mumbled.

"And I want to meet the parents and no boys—"

"I got it, dad! No boys in the tent with the girls! And you can meet Becky's parents tomorrow when they come pick me up. That is, if I'm still invited. Can I leave now? I need to call them and let them know I'm coming."

"Yes, sweetie. Good idea," Kim ushered her out before turning back to Tommy, who was seething in his chair. Kim stood and crossed over to him, slinking down into his lap brushing a hand along his cheek.

"You did really good," she joked.

Tommy rolled his eyes. "I didn't even think about this," he started a new thought.

"What? That Annie's going to eventually like boys?" Kimberly asked in mock surprise.

"How could not think of that? Look who her mother is!" Jason quipped again.

"Are you finished?" Tommy snapped back.

"Not even close, bro," Jason said with a laugh.

"Maybe you should talk to her, Jase. You probably know more about liking boys than I do."

Kimberly's face dropped in horror as it was Tommy's turn to laugh. Kimberly remained in his lap while pinching him, scolding him for his rude comment.

Jason entered the kitchen shook his head. "What's the deal, bro? That's the second gay joke you've made today."

"Whoa. I'm gonna get ready for bed," Kimberly said immediately, standing and holding her hands up in defeat as she quickly exited the kitchen.

"Oh forget it, Jase," Tommy said, trying to play off his remarks.

"No, seriously, dude. What gives? Not like I'd care even if I was gay, which I'm not,"

Tommy shook his head. He couldn't believe he was having this conversation. "I know you're not gay, bro."

"Then quit making jokes, man," Jason chided. "I'm starting to get paranoid."

"Sorry I said anything," Tommy conceded, standing up and patting Jason on the shoulder.

"Ooh, Tommy," Jason cooed seductively.

Tommy's eyes widened with annoyance. "You're such a shit, Jase."

Jason laughed and punched Tommy's arm on the way out. "I was kidding!"

Tommy nodded and mumbled a few yeah, yeah, yeah's as he ascended the stairs toward his bedroom.

"Good night, Jase."

"I was kidding!"

_February 1__st__, 2008_

_9:00 am_

_Tommy's House_

"Bye sweetie! Have fun!" Kimberly called out as the minivan pulled out of the driveway.

Annie waved goodbye as Kim and Tommy stood on the porch. Everything seemed to check out. Tommy had met Becky's father and mother, and Adam's mother, the chaperones for the trip. He had expressed his concern about the coed sleeping arrangements and was assured by Becky's father that the adults would be staying in close proximity to the kid's camp site. This relieved Tommy's quelling paranoia somewhat.

Adam's mother also assured him that between all the adults and even some of the kids, they had plenty of technology to allow Annie to call him when they arrived.

"What a rite of passage, huh?" Kimberly cooed as she wrapped an arm around Tommy's waist and led them back inside. Tommy nodded absently as he watched the minivan disappear into the distance before turning back inside.

"I didn't like that Andrew kid," Tommy mentioned, closing the door behind them as Kimberly plopped onto the couch.

"Really? He seemed like a little charmer to me," Kimberly contested sweetly, as Tommy wandered into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.

"Well to me, he was smarmy. That kid's got trouble written all over him."

Kimberly laughed joyously to see Tommy's parental guard take over. "He kind of reminded me of you," she prodded.

Tommy stopped at the archway and stared at Kim incredulously. "What? Are you kidding me? The kid's got braces and acne and bad hair!" he moaned as he returned to watching the coffee.

Kimberly buried her face into a pillow and howled. "You had bad hair!"

"I didn't have braces and acne!" he reminded her bitterly. "That's kid's a smarmy, metal mouthed, crater face and he was making eyes at Annie! I don't like him."

Kimberly held her side as she continued to laugh at Tommy's incessant defensiveness.

"How smooth can a skinny kid with braces and pimples be? Really?" Kimberly reasoned.

"He was wearing a Rush shirt, for Christ's sake, Kim! A RUSH shirt! He's not even old enough to know who Rush is!"

Kimberly's eyes were watering she was now convinced she'd never stop laughing.

"Tupac and Korn," Kimberly choked out.

"What?" he asked, now pouring two mugs full of the hot liquid before bringing them back into the living room.

"Tupac and Korn, Thomas Oliver," Kimberly repeated pointedly.

Tommy rolled his eyes as he set the mugs on the table. "Whatever," he breathed as Kimberly crawled to his side and wrapped her arms around him.

"Oh handsome, take it easy. She's going to be fine. She's going to have so much fun,"

"Not too much, I hope!" He pouted as Kimberly shook his rigid shoulders. Kimberly snorted as she nuzzled his neck.

"Oh, stop! She's a smart girl. She'll be perfectly fine!" Kimberly playfully chided.

"Yeah well, her parents don't have a very good track record," he quipped, leaning forward to grab his coffee as Kimberly slid off of him.

"Wow. That was mean," she muttered, now defensively crossing her own arms.

Tommy looked over at her and sighed, "You know what I meant."

"Oh I gotcha," she said tersely.

"Kim," he pleaded, seeing the beginnings of an argument ensuing.

"Thanks for the coffee," she said curtly before standing up and heading back upstairs.

"Let me know when Annie calls."

Tommy clenched his jaw as he watched her storm up the stairs. "I'm sorry!" he called out after her.

"Let's hope Annie's smarter than her mother!" Kimberly yelled from the landing before slamming the bedroom door shut.

Tommy released an exasperated sigh and slammed his head back into the couch. "Shit."


	33. Jukebox

_**Pulse**_

_**AN: I'm on a roll! Haha. Thank you again for all your feedback! It totally keeps my mojo running! Enjoy!**_

_**Chapter 33**_

**_Jukebox_**

_February 1__st__, 2008_

_1:20 pm_

_Tommy's House_

Tommy awoke suddenly with a terrible cramp in his neck. He looked around to get his bearings and realized he'd fallen asleep on the couch. He rubbed his eyes for a moment before climbing off the couch and heading back upstairs to his bedroom when he stopped again.

He was remembering the conversation he'd had with Kimberly earlier that morning, and wondered is she was still upset with him. He gently knocked on the door and waited. Upon receiving no response, he turned the knob and entered quietly.

Kimberly had fallen back asleep as well, her coffee barely touched, he noticed. He smiled sadly as he climbed into bed beside her. She tossed for a moment, but remained asleep.

"I'm sorry, beautiful," he whispered.

He placed a delicate kiss on her temple before reaching for a blanket to cover her with when his cell phone went off, loudly.

Kimberly jumped and practically elbowed Tommy in the face as she turned to see where the noise was coming from. Tommy fumbled for his phone as Kimberly's head slammed back down onto the pillow and watched him with a pained expression on her face.

He gave her an apologetic look before finally flipping open his phone.

"_Dad? I've been here for two hours. What happened to having to call you when I arrived? Did you get my messages? I left like, eight of them!"_

"Sorry, sweetie. I fell asleep."

"Is that Annie?" Kimberly asked groggily. Tommy nodded while still trying to listen to his daughter.

"_Well I'm here now, happy?" _

"Yes. Thank you for calling. Sorry I missed you the first time."

"I want to talk to her," Kimberly instructed, holding out her hand.

"Here, your mom wants to talk to you," Tommy said quickly, handing the phone over to Kimberly.

Kimberly hastily grabbed the small contraption and stood up, crossing to the bathroom door. Tommy rested his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, hoping Kimberly had slept off her anger from before.

"How's it going?" Kimberly asked, picking at her face in the mirror as she spoke. "Uh huh, well, remember what your dad said, okay?"

Tommy opened his eyes and turned to face Kimberly who had begun getting out her toiletries and setting them along the counter, not paying him any mind.

"Don't pull that side stuff with me, Anneliese. This is not a war," she scolded the girl over the phone.

Tommy listened carefully, trying to hear Annie's side of the conversation.

"He's just looking out for you. Remember all the wise things you said to me about moving to Reefside? Do you remember?"

Tommy now propped his head up with his hand, fully turned in Kim's direction and attentively listening in.

"I know I'm right. And so were you. So, remember that, okay? Be careful. You have plenty of life yet to explore these things. So don't rush it!"

Kimberly pulled the phone away when Annie started whining at a blaring pitch, begging her mother to stop insinuating certain things. That much Tommy could here through the phone. Kimberly had to giggle at her daughter's repulsion at her mom's acknowledgement of sex and such things.

"I know, I know. I love you. Be careful, have fun. Don't do drugs, bye." Kimberly snapped the phone shut and reentered the room, leaning against the doorframe.

"Hey," Tommy said longingly.

"I'm still mad at you," she informed in, answering his wondering subtext.

Tommy nodded and lied back down on the pillow. "Oh."

Kimberly crawled into the bed beside him, and handed back his phone. "But you were right. She should be careful. I didn't mean to be flippant about her safety. And I really hope I haven't set a bad example for her," Kimberly concluded, breaking out into sudden tears.

Tommy sat up and quickly grabbed a hold of her, letting her cry into his chest.

"Babe, hey….shhh," he soothed. "I shouldn't have said what I said."

"No you shouldn't have," she echoed through her muffled sobs. "But it's true. God, what if something happens? What if she does something stupid and thinks its okay because I've somehow given her this, unspoken permission?"

Tommy comprehended most of that. Though she was mumbling a bit with her mouth pressed up against his shoulder. He thought he knew what she meant.

"Annie knows our situation was an exception. She knows, Kim. I just worry that if something were to happen, she'd trust us enough to tell us."

Kimberly nodded before pulling back and looking up at him with swollen eyes. "Yeah, bee too," she said stuffily. Her spontaneous outburst had stuffed up her nose.

"Dow I'b all cudgested," she said with a huff, to which Tommy laughed at the sound.

"Go blow you nose, mouth breather," he joked. She playfully shoved him as she hopped up and grabbed some toilet paper from the bathroom.

Tommy smiled wistfully as she came back in and sat beside him.

"I'b sorry. I'b really sorry I walked away frob the codversation," she added pathetically.

"Come here," he instructed, holding his arms out for her. She nestled into his embrace as he kissed her forehead and ran his hands through her hair soothingly.

"Wanna get me all congested?" He asked slyly. She elbowed him as he laughed and pulled her down onto the bed. "How did you say it? Codgested? Cudgested?"

She playfully pushed him away from her, only to have him pin her to the bed, face up, beneath him. "Come on. I wanna be cudgested by you!" he whined seductively.

Kimberly snickered and turned her face to the side. "Stop baking fud of bee."

Tommy laughed hysterically before descending on her neck, kissing upwards toward her mouth. "You're the sexiest mouth breather I've ever seen," he whispered.

Kimberly rolled her eyes, still glaring at him above her. "Shut ubb, Tobby."

"Who's Tobby?" he teased, kissing her jaw line until he reached her pouting lips and pressed his mouth to hers with vigor.

Kimberly tried desperately to lose herself within the kiss, but her sinuses were now against her. "Tobby, I cad breathe," she whined.

Tommy gave her another quick peck on the lips before rolling over and relinquishing his side of the bed.

"I love you, beautiful," he told her softly. She whipped her head to the side to face him and frowned.

"I'b dot gonna say it," she warned him. Tommy gawked at her defensively.

"Say what?" he feigned innocently.

Kimberly sat up and blew her nose once again, finding a momentary relief in her nasal passage.

"I love you too, hadsobe," she said with a shake of her head.

Tommy giggled like a small child and pulled her into him. "Breathe again, quickly!" He complained. "We have the house to ourselves."

Kimberly's mouth dropped as she stared at him, insulted. "I'b dot gonna have sex with you after your cobbent frob this bordid."

Tommy gave her a confused look before laughing once more. "Nope, can't understand you, must not be important."

"Tobby!" Kimberly wailed as he laughed some more.

"Hold still, would you? Can I just hold you then?" he asked.

Kimberly grumbled but conceded, settling down until Tommy's spoon had fully enrapt her.

He kissed her lightly on the head, repeatedly, lulling her to sleep until she finally shut her eyes and attempted to rest off the sudden cold she had self induced.

_February 1__st__, 2008_

_5:00pm_

_Tommy's House_

Kimberly's nose was back to normal, though Tommy still had phantom giggles when she'd talk, hoping to hear her stuffed up speech one more time.

She wasn't mad anymore, though his comment had certainly stung. But he was right, and now she was worried Annie might try something during her camping trip.

"No, this is ridiculous," Kimberly said to herself as she washed her face. Tommy and she were getting ready to meet up with Jason for dinner. "She's a good kid. She'll be fine," she kept repeating.

Jason had been working later, now teaching at a Martial Arts school and working for a construction site's office. Kimberly hadn't seen him much these last few trips to Reefside, and she was beginning to really miss him. She had spent so much time with Jason before Tommy reentered the picture, she hadn't thought about his absence until now.

"Babe! We got the invitations!" Tommy called from downstairs.

"What?" Kimberly called back, breaking out of her thoughts. "What invitations?"

"To Adam and Tanya's wedding! I just checked the mail," he repeated, his voice getting softer as he came back up the stairs and stood in the doorway.

Kimberly shut the water off and blotted her face with a towel before emerging from the bathroom. "Let me see!" she said giddily.

Tommy handed the invites off to her as she plopped down on the bed and adjusted her towel wrapped around her body. She hastily pulled the card out of the envelope and scanned it for information.

Tommy walked into the bathroom and grabbed a towel before turning back to Kimberly.

"Have you already showered?" He asked her as he began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Just a quick one, there's still hot water," she said absently as she continued reading the announcement.

Tommy huffed and tossed his shirt over a chair, starting on his pants next.

"I wanted you to wait for me," he told her as he folded his pants and set them over his shirt. Kimberly was still reading, not bothering to respond. Tommy rolled his eyes and finished taking off his socks and boxers.

"There getting married at the Youth Center! Did you see that?" Kimberly gushed, looking up as she stole a quick peek at Tommy's naked body before he wrapped the towel around his waist.

"That's awesome!" He said somewhat cavalierly before giving her a sad smile and shutting the door behind him.

Kimberly brushed his attitude away with a wave of her hand before setting the invite on the end table and started to pick out her clothes for dinner.

_February 1__st__, 2008_

_7:30pm_

_Eliza's Bar_

_Reefside, CA_

Despite missing Annie and worrying about her terribly, all three adults were enjoying having a night out to themselves. Having a few drinks, making inappropriate jokes and playing darts and pool.

Currently, Jason was up against Tommy at the billiards table while Kimberly scanned the jukebox.

The three of them were feeling fairly loose, having had a few beers with dinner before moving to the game room and ordering another round.

Tommy took a sip of his beer as he watched Jason line up his next shot. He stole a quick glimpse at Kim who was smiling to herself as she flipped through the music selections.

"We got the wedding invitations today," Tommy said suddenly, still watching Kimberly.

Jason stood up and grabbed his beer, noticing where Tommy's gaze had wandered.

"Tanya and Adam's?" He asked knowingly. Tommy nodded as Jason took a swig of his drink before setting it back on the bar.

"Kim seemed really excited about it," Tommy sighed. "I felt like an asshole."

Jason took his shot, sinking his target. "Why? You say something?" Jason asked him as he eyed the table for his next shot.

"Well, I said the thing this morning, but no, I didn't say anything about the wedding. But I got defensive when she was telling me about it. I should have been excited too, right?"

Jason bent over the table to examine his alignment before giving Tommy a wry smile. "Not if you weren't excited, no," he told him.

Tommy shrugged and glanced down at the table before resuming his gaze at Kim. "I just don't want this wedding to remind her that we aren't," he said finally.

"If Kim was still upset about that, she would have told you by now," Jason assured him.

Tommy nodded skeptically before Jason took his next shot and missed. "Your turn, bro," Jason said, handing off the pool cue.

"Hi," a man's voice said from behind.

Kimberly whirled around to see an unfamiliar face staring back at her. "Hi," she said politely, before turning back to finish making her selections.

"You've got good taste in music," the man spoke again.

"Thanks," Kimberly nodded, not wanting to face him again.

"Prince, Ani Difranco, Mama Cass; you've picked some good ones," the man continued.

"Yep," Kim said a bit coldly as she hurried to make her final selection.

"Can I buy you a drink?" The guy asked as she pressed one final button and spun around.

"No thanks, I'm good," she said, holding up her own bottle.

"Well, can I share a dance with you when Prince comes on? It's one of my favorites," the man asked.

Kimberly laughed coyly, "It's one of my favorites, too. That's why I played it!" she chirped, trying to nicely turn this guy down.

"I'm Doug, by the way," the man said, holding out his hand. Kimberly hesitantly took it and shook.

"I'm Kimberly," she told him.

"Nice to meet you Kimberly," Doug said with a smile. "You're a good looking woman."

"With a good looking boyfriend," Tommy said suddenly. Kimberly spun around to see Tommy standing directly behind her.

"I'm Tommy," he said, holding out his hand.

"This is Doug," Kimberly said as Doug held up his hand and gave an embarrassed wave.

"You guys are a cute couple," Doug said anxiously as Tommy brought his outstretched hand back to Kimberly's shoulder.

"We know," Tommy said curtly before squeezing Kim's arm. "You want another drink, beautiful?" Tommy asked without breaking Doug's gaze.

"Sure," she said timidly, embarrassed for having denied Doug's offer from before.

Doug nodded knowingly as Tommy leaned over and gave Kim a kiss on the cheek before slowly moving away from them and toward the bar.

Kim cleared her throat and threw an apologetic smile at Doug. "I have a boyfriend," she stammered.

Doug laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I can see that. Well, if something happens between now and when Prince comes on, I'll be here," he said in stride.

Kimberly giggled and bit her lip. "Got it!" she laughed nervously before turning around and heading back to the pool table.

Tommy returned from the bar with another round of drinks as Kimberly hopped onto a small barstool beside the table.

"Where's Jason?" she asked as he set the tray down and handed her a bottle.

"Bathroom. He won. So you two are up now," he told her, taking a sip of his beer.

Kimberly rolled the bottle between her hands before taking her own swig and setting it down next to her. She beckoned Tommy over to her.

He cautiously moved forward as she remained seated so Tommy could stand between her legs as she held him by the waist and looked up at him.

"Hey, don't pout," she told him sweetly. Tugging at his shirt to pull him closer.

Tommy set his beer behind her and ran his hands down her back as she did the same to him.

"I didn't like that," he said with a huff.

Kimberly smiled and rested her hands around his neck, pulling him down slightly and kissing his nose.

"I liked it," she told him. "It was a total pissing contest, but I liked it."

Tommy snickered through his smirk. "I know you can take care of yourself," he reminded her.

Kimberly cooed and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "I know you know. But it was really sexy," she breathed.

Tommy's grin turned devilish. "Really?" he asked, breathing against her neck.

Kimberly nodded and bit her lip, smiling as his mouth descended upon hers. Jason returned from the bathroom as Kimberly's first song came over the speakers.

The sexy half beat of the drums, Prince's eerie moan echoed, the synthesized keyboards began.

"Yoooow, Yoooow, Yooow," Jason sang as he tried to mimic the song.

Kimberly and Tommy broke their embrace before laughing at Jason, who had now begun to dance. He held out his hand for Kimberly who promptly hopped off her stool and joined him. Tommy shook his head and nursed his beer as Jason and Kimberly sang along while snaking around each other clumsily.

"Animals strike, curious poses," Jason sang badly as he attempted to follow the song's directions. Kimberly cackled hysterically before dragging Tommy out to the floor, despite his protests and started serenading him seductively.

"Why do we scream at each other? This is what it sounds like, when doves cry," Kimberly sang to him and him alone, pulling him into her as she wrapped a leg around him. He caught it, holding onto to her hiked up thigh as she danced on him.

Tommy couldn't help but laugh as Kimberly dipped very far back while clutching his belt, then snapping back to face him, all on the balance of one leg. She giggled before jumping up and wrapping her legs around him, kissing him fiercely as the song slowly filtered away.

Doug, the flirtatious jukebox stranger watched on, snickering to himself as he watched Kimberly and her boyfriend, Tommy.

After a few choice whistles and a spattering of applause from other bar patrons, the moment dissipated and the trio resumed their normal pool game and conversation. But not before Jason's phone went off.

Tommy and Kim gave an innocent glance toward their friend before he shrugged and held up his finger. "Give me a second. I'm gonna run outside and check my messages."

Tommy and Kim looked at each other and shrugged as well. Tommy decided to show Kim a few basic billiard tricks before Jason returned.

_February 1__st__, 2008_

_10:00pm_

_Eliza's Bar_

_Reefside, CA_

"And den all her werz sounded like dis," Tommy said with a howl. Kimberly adjusted her pool stick as she tried to concentrate on her shot and ignore Tommy's incessant mockery of her earlier sinus condition.

Jason was shaking his head, "Sorry I missed little bouth breather, Kibberly," he teased.

Kimberly thought about swinging the cue upside Jason's head, and Tommy's for that matter. But it wouldn't matter, the two men were now so far gone in their hysteria, she'd rather focus and beat them at pool.

"Can you believe we're not part of the wedding?" Kim asked to change the subject as she made her shot, sinking the 4 ball.

"What, that Tanya and Adam aren't having real bridesmaids and groomsmen?" Jason asked, his laughter subsiding.

The current topic shut Tommy up quickly, he felt awkward discussing anything wedding related with Kimberly. It only furthered his own guilt and insecurities.

"Like, I get why Rocky and Kat are standing with them cause they're their best friends,"

Kim started to say, setting up her next shot. "But I'm kind of sad that we all aren't part of the train."

"They said they wanted a small ceremony. They're having it at the youth center, Kim!" Jason reminded her.

Kimberly shrugged and aimed her cue, missing the pocket by an inch.

"My turn," Jason said greedily as he stepped up to the table.

"Kim's just mad cause she wanted to buy a new dress," Tommy playfully chided.

Kim smacked him on the chest and grabbed her beer. "Oh, don't you worry. I'm buying a new dress whether I'm a bridesmaid or not!" She warned him with a wink.

"9 ball, side pocket," Jason called out. They'd been playing slop, for Kim's sake, but now Jason was on the verge of winning again and he didn't want to take any chances. Plus he was slightly inebriated at this point.

"Call the other side, bro," Tommy said. "Bank it off the 7 or you're gonna hit the bumper."

"I know what I'm doing," Jason reasoned.

"I should call Sha and see if she and Zack want to stay with me for the wedding," Kimberly mused.

Tommy nodded absently. "It'll be cool to see everyone together again."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me, Tommy," Jason started to say before he took his shot, missing the pocket and hitting the bumper as Tommy had predicted.

"Kat's gonna come up and visit next week, if that's cool."

Tommy looked immediately to Kimberly for approval, to which Kimberly smiled and shrugged.

"Okay, I don't see why not. What for?" Tommy asked.

"Umm, just a business trip or something. She didn't really go into detail," Jason said quickly.

"How is Kat? How's Billy?" Kimberly asked curiously. "I never see anybody anymore!"

"They're fine. They're both fine," Jason said as he cleared his throat.

"When did you talk to Kat?" Tommy asked.

"Oh, that's who called me earlier. I guess she just found out about the trip and we're the only ones she knows in Reefside, so…" Jason said with a shrug.

"Oh, okay," Tommy said with a bewildered smile toward Kim.

"Well, maybe Annie and I'll come up again next weekend?" Kim suggested brightly. "That way everyone will get to see Kat!"

"Oh, no! I wouldn't want to compromise the routine you guys have going," Jason told her. "I'll entertain Kat. She'll be gone most of the time anyway for her work."

Kimberly gave Jason a concerned look before grabbing the empty bottles they'd collected.

"Okay. Take you shot, I'm gonna recycle these bottles," Kim said as Tommy helped her gather everything.

Once Kimberly was out of ear shot, Tommy turned to Jason as he set up his final shot.

"What's up, Jase?" Tommy asked him seriously.

"What's up with what?" Jason asked innocently. "8 ball, this pocket," he said, tapping the corner with the bottom of his cue.

"You're being weird," Tommy told him.

"No I'm not," Jason negated, bringing his arm back to shoot.

"You forgot to tell me Kat was coming, you forgot to tell me that you talked to her earlier, you got panicky when Kim suggested us all being here," Tommy reminded him. "What's the deal, bro?"

Jason took his shot and sank the 8 ball. "Game over. I win!"

Kimberly returned just in time to soak up Jason's gloating. "Did he make the shot?"

Tommy nodded as Jason dance around her, laughing. "I deserve a prize! I beat two Power Rangers!"

A few random patrons spun their heads around and stared at them curiously upon Jason's admission. Tommy grabbed Jason by the arm and started pushing out of the bar.

"I think it's time to go home," he mumbled under his breath. Kimberly laughed uneasily and waved to the staring eyes.

"He's just had a little too much--woo!" She giggled, miming drinking. "Thank you! Bye!" She stammered out before groaning inwardly and heading out of the bar.

"Nice one, Jase," Kim said with a huff as she walked furiously past him and Tommy toward the car.

"Thank God they just thought you were drunk," Tommy seethed quietly as he helped Jason into the jeep.

"I'll drive," Kim said suddenly, holding out her hand as Tommy obediently gave her the keys.

"I've just been embarrassed into sober," she said through gritted teeth.

Tommy snickered as he jumped into the passenger side, glancing back to check on Jason.

"I'm not fine, I'm fine. I'm just had too many beer drinks, I'll be fine," Jason mumbled as he closed his eyes and scrunched his body onto the back seat.

Kimberly gazed into the rearview mirror with a disgusted expression. "Was he like this before I left to close our tab?"

"I don't know what's up with him suddenly," Tommy said, shaking his head.

"He got really weird about the whole Kat thing," Kim remembered.

"That's what I said!" Tommy groaned.

"Well, I'm bummed about not seeing Kat but I guess I'll see her soon enough at the wedding, right?"

"Yeah, me too. Especially when she's staying at _my_ house! Whatever, it's probably nothing. He's probably just drunk," Tommy said dismissively.

"What time did Becky's parents say they were coming back from Stone Canyon?"

"Eight. They'll probably make it back to Angel Grove by nine, nine thirty," Tommy informed her.

"Well then I guess I should pack up my stuff tonight. I want to be home before Annie gets back," Kim said.

Tommy nodded and stroked her hair before smiling, "You can keep your stuff here," he told her quietly.

Kimberly stole a quick glance at him before returning to the road. "Okay. I will. Thank you," she responded softly.

"My stuff. I want me keep my stuff here. Kat's stuff. She said her stuff could stay. Business," Jason muttered incoherently as he talked in his stupor.

Kimberly and Tommy looked at each other before breaking into confused fits of laughter as they continued their drive home.


	34. Dilate

_**Pulse **_

_**AN: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback! Things are buzzing all around Kim and Tommy's world…what will happen next? Find out below! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Rated for language, as always. But you already knew that, didn't you?**_

_**Chapter 34**_

_**Dilate**_

_February 10__th__, 2008_

_12:20pm_

_Angel Grove Junior High_

_Angel Grove, Ca_

Tommy left last night, much to Kimberly's sadness. They saw each other every weekend, but the commuting back and forth, the random phone calls every night just weren't enough. Kimberly was getting restless. She had waited a long time to get back into the man's good graces and their relationship had never been stronger than it was right now, except for the whole living together and marriage part.

Kimberly groaned inwardly as her lunch break came to a close. She didn't even budge from her seat when the break came, too enthralled by recent happenings.

Katherine evidently, had come to stay at Tommy and Jason's this past weekend, and was still there by report. Something about her work extending her trip or whatever.

Kimberly didn't buy it. Neither did Tommy, though he seemed to be okay with letting Katherine stay a little longer. This irked Kim to a degree, though she and the tall blonde had reconciled, Tommy's affection for Kat was still there and Kim couldn't help but feel the slightest tinge of green about her face.

"Hey mom," Annie said brightly, approaching her desk. Fourth period was about to begin, and Kimberly desperately needed to focus on her assignments. She was grateful however that her daughter had chosen to remain in her class. She certainly didn't have to, and who could blame her? A twelve year old girl? But it made Kimberly's heart smile every time her daughter would greet her.

"Hey pumpkin," she said quietly, as to not embarrass her daughter too much. "What's up?"

"I got a text from dad," Annie said seriously. "He said he needs to talk to you ASAP."

Kimberly's face twitched. "Annie, what did agree on when you got that cell phone?"

Annie gave her mom an exasperated look. Kimberly smiled politely as more students filed in to the room.

"Dad text me!" Annie said in a harsh whisper. Kimberly cleared her throat as she stood up from her desk. Annie followed her to the door.

"Well, that's a whole other issue I'll have to speak to Tommy about. In the meantime, get ready for class. We'll talk about this after school. Shut your phone off," Kimberly scolded as she shut the door and headed up to the front.

Annie huffed and crossed the room to find her seat. As Kimberly was beginning, Annie made sure to turn her cell phone off in a grand display, dialing down the volume one button at a time before unzipping her backpack aggressively and shoving it into the pocket.

_February 10__th__, 2008_

_4:18pm_

_Kimberly's House_

_Angel Grove, Ca_

"Is that Tommy?" Kimberly asked as Annie's cell phone rang. The women were obviously related as they had spent the rest of the day after fourth period, waiting to unleash on the other about the notorious text that Tommy had sent. And they were still going at it.

Annie gave her mom a cross eyed look before answering, "Do you mind?" Annie snapped as she switched to perky teenager saying hello.

"Hey Andrew," she said into the small contraption. "It's Andrew, mom. Not Tommy, _Andrew!"_

Annie's insipid conversation faded as the girl climbed to her bedroom, leaving Kimberly utterly enraged. Maybe Tommy was onto something before about that camping trip. Annie had seemed elated but sad when she returned home. Though she had made new friends, Kimberly was nervous about Annie hanging out with the boys too much, so soon.

Kimberly shook it off, resolved to call Tommy herself since he so incessantly contacted their daughter and not her. Kimberly reached for her own phone and dialed, grabbing random items from the kitchen to scrape together some semblance of dinner.

"_Hello?"_ came Tommy's calm reply.

"What's so important that you text our daughter during school and then tell to you have to talk to me? Couldn't you have just called me? Why am I getting messages filtered through a teenager?" Kimberly exhaled, she needed to calm down and most of her frustration, though aimed at Tommy, was thanks to Annie. The girl had been acting like a brat since they left school.

"_Now Kim, calm down,"_ Tommy said deftly.

"I am trying to be calm," Kim said a bit more pointedly than she would have liked.

Tommy laughed at the other end, sending Kim's fragile state into a tailspin.

"Please don't laugh that smug chuckle you do when I'm like this. It infuriates me!"

"_Babe, did you call to ask me why I text Annie or to yell at me?" _

"Both, you smart ass! You know, I was actually sad when you left last night! Sad! Ha! What a crock!"

"_Beautiful, Kat's been staying in Annie's room while she visits and there were some things I didn't know what to do with so I called her. I'm sorry I called during school, I thought she'd be at lunch when I sent the text."_

"She was at lunch," Kimberly told him bashfully.

"_Then why'd you get so bent out of shape? I remember the rules we set up when she got her phone! I was there,"_ Tommy reminded her gently.

"All Annie had to report was that you sent her a text and that you had to talk to me as soon as possible. Then she got all melodramatic when I told her to keep her phone off," Kimberly explained now feeling like an idiot.

"_Well I did need to talk to you as soon as possible but I figured you'd be too busy to take a call during work so I just told Annie so you'd know to call me when you got home. Worked didn't it?"_

"Yeah, I guess so. Not without compromising my sanity though! So what's going on? What did you need to talk to me about?"

"Kat's staying with us for a little longer," he said blankly.

"You already told me that last night when you got back! Why is that big news?"

"_No, Kim. I mean, she's staying with us indefinitely. Something happened between her and Billy; I'm not sure exactly what's going on. I can't get a hold of Billy and Jason's being way too complacent about the whole thing."_

"Why does Kat have to stay with you?" Kimberly asked carefully, trying to ease her sense of dread.

"_She's not close enough to Zack or Aisha, Tanya and Adam have their hands full with wedding business and Rocky's not really reliable as a roommate," _Tommy finished his last comment with an awkward chuckle.

"And I'm completely off the table?" Kim asked bitterly, reacting subconsciously. She wouldn't really want to host Katherine, not that it'd be a big deal, but it was complicated. She growled, having rationalized her own twisted logic.

"_She thought it'd be awkward, since I come over there all the time," _Tommy explained.

"But she's okay staying at your house where I frequently visit as well? Tommy! What the hell is going on? I mean, not that it's really a big deal or any of my business but, this whole circumstance seems really fishy!"

"_Kim, I know. It is fishy. Katherine's been really aloof, too. I don't want to call anyone out for fear of seeming paranoid or jealous or something but, between her and Jason, I'm going crazy!"_

Kimberly let the jealous comment slide, she knew better. He was being the rational one, the diplomatic one. She was worried too. Though she hated to admit that all of her worry wasn't spent on what had apparently happened between Katherine and Billy, but rather on what could happen between Katherine and Tommy.

"You can't reach Billy at all, huh?" Kimberly asked, not sure how to move toward a solution.

"_Nope. I've called him eight times in the last two days, but nothing. Maybe I'm not trying hard enough. It's not like Billy to avoid my calls. I don't know if he and Kat broke up, if they just had a really bad fight or what."_

"Maybe Jason or I could try to call him? I mean, we're both closer to Billy, though I haven't really talked to him since New Year's," Kim offered shakily.

"_No, that's a great idea, babe. Would you call him, if you don't mind? If they did break up or got into a fight, I'm afraid Jason might get the bum rap for housing Katherine. You know, taking sides and whatnot."_

"Sure. I'll call him. Should I call you after I talk to him?"

"Please! But don't tell him I've been trying to get a hold of him. That'll just make him mad at me. Besides, I'm sure he'll have seen that I've already been trying!"

Kimberly joined in Tommy's nervous laughter before saying good bye.

"Oh! Tommy, one more thing, and I know it's probably not a big deal but," Kim started to say before Annie reentered the room, her face looked pleased.

"Umm, do you have any plans this weekend?" She stumbled. She had wanted to ask Tommy's advice about the recent Andrew developments in Annie's life but hadn't wanted to make him more stressed than he already was. And she certainly didn't want to talk about it with Annie standing over her shoulder.

Tommy laughed at Kimberly's innocuous question. _"Aren't you coming down to Reefside?"_ he asked pithily.

Kimberly coughed out an awkward giggle, "Oh yeah. Of course I am. Just uh, making sure you didn't forget about this weekend."

Amongst the craziness that was ensuing around her, Kimberly's 31st birthday was on Friday. She had really hoped for an easy, quiet evening with her family. But now, she could expect no such thing. And as prone to forgetfulness as Tommy was, she knew better than to assume he'd forget her birthday. Though with everything else he was dealing with….this year he just might.

"_How could I possibly forget about this weekend?"_ He asked her incredulously.

"_The weekends are my saving grace!"_ He added with a relieved laugh.

Kimberly's heart sank. For a moment, she truly thought he was going to remind her of her own birthday celebration. He's probably just preoccupied at the moment. He'd call her back the instant realization dawns on him and beg her for forgiveness.

"Yeah! They're mine too!" She laughed bitterly. "I love you too, bye."

"What was that about?" Annie asked, now having helped herself to whatever Kimberly had previously set aside for dinner.

"You want to call for a pizza? I was going to make food but I don't have the energy now," Kimberly told her solemnly.

Annie chewed the carrot in her hand carefully before biting her lip. "Actually, I was wondering if I could go out to dinner with my friends, tonight."

Kimberly shot a look at the young girl. She wanted to ask her which friends specifically, but it didn't matter. Keeping her away from Andrew, if there was anything to keep her away from, wouldn't help. So Kimberly simply nodded.

"Sure, is someone picking you up? Should I drop you off? What time?" She asked slowly, her head beginning to throb.

Annie jumped from her chair and hugged her mom. "Andrew and his dad can pick me up at 6. Thank you!"

And with that, Annie ran out of the kitchen toward her bedroom. Kimberly sighed and followed, parting ways toward her own room.

"10 o'clock curfew, Anneliese!" She called out.

"Okay!" Annie said cheerily. Kimberly snickered and shook her head as she opened her bedroom door and collapsed on her bed.

_February 10__th__, 2008_

_9:30pm_

_Kimberly's House_

Kimberly woke up with a swollen face. She anxiously looked around the room, forgetting where she was until her eyes stopped at the clock. She released a sigh of relief that she hadn't slept passed Annie's curfew. Her brief moment of rest turned to panic suddenly when she realized she hadn't tried to call Billy. She wondered if it was too late before deciding it didn't matter and searched for her phone.

Heading back into the kitchen and grabbing the small, black apparatus; she dialed and waited as it rang for a moment.

Nothing.

Kimberly wandered from the kitchen to the living room, touching furniture aimlessly as she prayed Billy would pick up.

Still nothing. Finally, his answering machine clicked. Kimberly waited for the beep.

"Hey Billy, it's Kim. I know we haven't talked in awhile but I just wanted to see how you were doing, what your plans were for the wedding and whatever. Umm, call me back…"

Kimberly almost finished before saving one last comment.

"Say hey to Kat for me! Okay, bye."

She closed her phone before an idea struck her. She ran back to her room and set up her laptop on the bed, furiously connecting to the internet and doing an immediate Google search.

She found a few other Katherine Hillards before finding the one she wanted. She clicked the icon and scrolled down the page, hoping to find what she was looking for.

Listed under Academic and Career History was Kat's job information: _Senior Arts Management Director for Wind Chimes Dance Conservatory._

She clicked the link to the website and scanned the directory. The Los Angeles branch was in fact, scouting for new locations and offices throughout southern California, but that still didn't provide Kimberly with anything substantial.

She wasn't sure what she was looking for. Maybe she wanted Kat to be lying about why she was in Reefside, maybe she wanted Tommy to have completely misunderstood the circumstances of Katherine and Billy's sudden estrangement, she didn't know.

Either way, she didn't believe Katherine's or Jason's story. Something was wrong. She could feel it. And Tommy was right about one thing, Billy completely ignoring phone calls was very unlike him. And it unnerved her. Her mind now clouded with paranoia, she decided to log on to EBay and do some mindless window shopping.

_February 13__th__, 2008_

_6:00pm_

_Kimberly's House_

"I want to meet this Andrew kid," Kimberly said suddenly. Annie looked up from the saucepan she had been stirring soup in and gave her mother a wide eyed stare.

"What? Why?" Annie asked, flummoxed.

"All I ever hear anymore is Andrew this, Andrew that. I've seen the kid once, talked to his mother for five minutes and heard endless camping stories from you!"

"So?"

"What's Andrew's last name?" Kim asked politely.

"Foreman," Annie said, bewildered.

"Andrew Foreman. How old is he?"

"Thirteen. He'll be going to Angel Grove High in the fall. He turns fourteen in August,"

"So he's older," Kimberly mused carefully.

"Not by much mom!" Annie defended. "I'll be thirteen in September."

"What does Andrew like to do? For Fun? What's his favorite class?"

Annie turned the heat down on the stove and spun around to face her mother. "He plays music and plays soccer. His favorite class is English, he likes to skateboard and surf, his favorite color is green, like mine, and he likes a lot of older classic rock bands ya know, like, Zeppelin and the Stones and Rush."

Kimberly giggled at the mention of the boy's favorite music, remembering Tommy's comment about Andrew's shirt.

"What kind of music does he play?"

"Rock, mostly. He plays the electric guitar and acoustic. He said he'd show how to play," Annie told her smugly, finding absolutely nothing unwholesome in the young man's offer.

Kimberly smiled for a moment. There was something charming and precious about possessing that kind of naiveté. It wasn't doltish, more idealistic. She had never been that way about boys, until she met Tommy.

"I've been getting asked out since I was eight," Kimberly said finally.

Annie transferred the soup from pot to bowl and shut off the stove. "It's not a date, mom! He just said he'd help me play the guitar some time! We're not dating. We're totally just friends!"

Kimberly laughed and shook her head. "I've never believed a boy's intentions more than I can throw him. And believe me, that's farther than you'd think. But I was never dubious around Tommy."

"What do you mean?" Annie asked, suddenly intrigued as she set the bowls of soup before her and Kim.

"You know how sometimes, you can totally tell when someone is hitting on you?"

Annie grimaced and shook her head. "I haven't really had to deal with that, mom."

Kimberly shrugged as she continued. "Yet! But you will! Anyway, you've seen people at school get hit on, right?"

Annie nodded as she slowly took her first spoonful of soup into her mouth and listened to mother elaborate.

"Well, you can totally tell when the girl's not interested. For whatever reason, she doesn't think he's cute or she's shy or she thinks the guy's kind of sleazy and doesn't trust him."

"A playa," Annie chimed in, to which Kimberly howled.

"A playa, exactly! So, anyway, that was always me. I never trusted any boy's intentions. It didn't matter if he was a nerd or a punk or in drama class or the captain of the football team. Especially the captain of the football team! But when I met Tommy, all that paranoia, that distrust, completely went away."

"Was dad romantic?" Annie dared to ask, she thought this conversation would weird her out but the more Kimberly spoke, with such admiration, such devotion toward her dad, she couldn't help but be curious.

Kimberly bit her lip and blushed. "Totally romantic! Oh my God! He'd kill me for telling you this but, he always bought me flowers and stuffed animals and held doors open for me and carried my books and little things like that. He was such a gentleman."

Annie gushed along with Kimberly. It was kind of bizarre to think of her dad as a love struck teenage boy, but then again, he still kind of was whenever he was around Kimberly, so the image wasn't too far reaching.

"Don't get me wrong, you're dad was still a guy. He was forgetful and stubborn and macho and dull sometimes but, he never expected anything of me and never pushed anything. He respected me in a way that a lot of guys his age couldn't. Not because they didn't want to but because they didn't know how. It takes a lot of wisdom and maturity to be as discipline and self controlled as Tommy was. Still is, for the most part."

"Mom, do you think I'm having sex?" Annie asked bluntly.

Kimberly's face went into shock. "What?"

"Well, it just dawned on me, as cool as it is to hear about you and dad at my age, that you're throwing in a lot of reminders about how respectful dad was and how you always trusted him. Do you think I'm having sex with Andrew? Cause I'm not. I don't even know if I like him yet. Eww. I don't want to think about having sex with anyone right now."

Kimberly's heart jumped, out of embarrassment and possibly relief to hear her daughter say those words.

She sighed audibly and grabbed Annie's hand. "Good. I'm glad you don't have sex on the brain. And yes, I guess that was what I was trying to get at with all my mushy stories. We've proven that you're smarter than I take you for and I suck at being subtle."

Annie laughed at her mom and shook her head. "It's okay. I mean, I guess I have been spending a lot of time with him lately. But we're not always alone, ya know? And I guess this conversation was bound to come up sometime."

"If you ever do start thinking about it, don't ever be afraid to come talk to me, okay?"

"I promise," Annie said bashfully.

"Promise? Promisey promise?" Kimberly said goofily.

Annie rolled her eyes. "Yes! I promise! If I get all weird like you and dad and want a sweaty boy body on top of me, I'll talk to you first!"

Kimberly's mouth dropped at the girl's comment. "Excuse me? First of all, I'm slightly offended that you would call your father and me weird for being completely independent adults who are perfectly capable of handling an intimate relationship. Second, how do you anything about anything that occurs during sex?"

"So it's true? Your bodies get all sweaty and the boy's on top of you and stuff?"

Kimberly gave her daughter a stern look. "I'm not dignifying that question."

Annie laughed as she finished eating her soup.

_February 13__th__, 2008_

_8:34pm_

_Kimberly's House_

Kimberly was making some changes to her spring quarter syllabus while Annie was locked in her room, studying, _allegedly._ She was sure she peaked Annie's interest further in Andrew after tonight's conversation, but at least they had been honest about things and it warmed Kim's heart to still have those moments with Annie amidst her daughter's most difficult years.

She was sure she heard Annie giggling and talking to someone on the phone when her own phone rang. Checking the caller ID, she saw it was Billy. Kimberly's eyes went wide and she dropped everything and answered immediately.

"Hello?"

"_Kimberly? Hello. It's Billy."_

"Hey you, how are you?" Kimberly asked in a soft tone. She could sense his distant on the phone.

"_I'm…Well to be perfectly honest, I've been better,"_ he told her flatly. He sounded slightly congested, like he'd been crying, much like she had sounded a week ago.

"Really? Why?" She remained as unassuming as she could be, hoping whatever truth Billy had to reveal would happen naturally.

"_Well, this is a bit embarrassing but, Katherine and I aren't seeing one another anymore."_

"Oh no!" So it was true. "Why is that embarrassing? I'm so sorry."

"_No, no. That's perfectly fine. It was a long time coming and it's probably for the best but, that's not why I'm embarrassed. I'm embarrassed because of why we broke up."_

"Oh?" Kimberly baited, praying her feigned innocence would compel him to dish.

"_Yes well, you see, she confessed to me that she's been seeing someone else."_

"What?" Kimberly's face went into awe. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Who would cheat on Billy? Why would you cheat on Billy?

"Well, do you know who? Did she say?" Kimberly asked him aggressively.

"_No, no. She didn't say. But apparently they've been seeing each other since before New Year's. Do you see why I feel so completely out of countenance? There I was, thinking I was happy, grateful beyond measure that a girl like Katherine could ever find me attractive and it was all a lie. I mean, for the love of God, I went skinny dipping, Kimberly! Me! We both unabashedly stripped down to nothing and frolicked in the ocean, had an amazing holiday together and all the while, she's seeing someone else!"_

Kimberly's heart broke for her friend. He'd never, in his thirty one years, had a serious relationship until Katherine. Sure, he'd dated briefly in high school, and plenty of girls liked him, despite what he thought. But boy did he seem to be cursed. The first girl he ever had a crush on was Trini, but she was in love with Jason, despite never have confessed it. Then after Kat joined the Rangers, Billy's feelings for Katherine emerged, and she ended up dating Tommy instead. It had been around Trini's funeral that the two started to dance around one another. A sickening thought suddenly entered Kimberly's mind as she reminisced.

"Billy? Did Kat give you any clues as to who it might be? Any clues at all?"

"_No. She said it would only hurt me if I knew who it was, though I did ask."_

Kimberly felt like she might cry. She had a pretty good suspicion of who it might be, but she didn't dare say a word, lest she be wrong. And God help her, she hoped she was wrong.

"Well, I'm so sorry that the first we talk in two months, it's about this. Where is Kat now?" Kimberly crossed her fingers.

"_She's on a business trip I guess. She told me she was leaving in tandem with her indiscretion. Classy, huh?"_

"I'm really shocked, Billy. But I'm sure Kat never meant to hurt you, ya know? Whoever this other guy is, he's not half the man you are," Kimberly said with conviction. And if she ever got a hold of _that other guy_, he'd barely be half a man when she got through with him. Fuck it, if she ever saw Kat again, she'd probably punch her lights out for hurting Billy.

"_Well, thanks for calling, Kimberly. I'm sorry I've been a bit reclusive. Please send my apologies to Tommy as well. I saw that he called a number of times but I've yet to speak to anyone else about this whole thing. You're the first person I've told."_

"Well, thank you for trusting me enough to tell me. Let's talk more often, okay? And hopefully our next conversation will be on happier terms."

"_Yes, affirmative. I'm still attending Tanya and Adam's wedding, despite the obvious fact that Katherine will be there."_

"I won't let her bother you, I promise! You'll be okay, I swear! It'll be good to see you in person. I'll talk to you later. Okay, bye!"

Kimberly snapped her phone shut and stared at it in dismay. God she hoped she was wrong. She hadn't talked to Tommy since the beginning of the week, when he'd asked to her to call Billy in the first place. She wanted to talk to Tommy right now, unleash all that she knew and assumed. But she'd wait. She'd see him tomorrow, and if Kat was still staying at his place she'd be able to assess the situation with new eyes. Yes, she was resolved to do just that. On her birthday.

"Happy, fucking, birthday," she said with a roll of her eyes.


	35. Both Hands

_**Pulse **_

_**AN: Rated M for explicit sexuality. Enjoy!**_

_**Chapter 35**_

_**Both Hands**_

_February 14__th__, 2008_

_5:30pm_

_Tommy's House_

Since she was old enough to know better, Kimberly had always hated that her birthday fell on Valentines Day.

Not that she was ever anything but a hopeless romantic, but her birthday, which should have been the focus, always got slightly pushed to the wayside in exchange for cheesy sentiments and tokens of affection. Years she hadn't been spoken for, were doubly worse.

Friends that had companions, all shirked a blown out birthday celebration in exchange for quality time with their respective partners.

She supposed she couldn't blame them. She'd probably have done the same. Though she couldn't. Ever. She was born, literally, to be the proverbial fork in the road. Celebrate a birthday and possibly get cake? Or celebrate Valentines Day and possibly get laid?

Kimberly laughed at her own thoughts as she continued the drive toward Tommy's house. She hadn't spoken to him since she called Billy, her mind reeling with her old friend's news, her own suspicions, schoolwork, and of course, her birthday.

In bittersweet resignation of the saccharine holiday, she had bought a gift for Tommy. Well, actually, it was a gift for her, _for Tommy's appreciation._ What better payback, for all those years of friends ditching her for their sweethearts, than to buy herself a birthday present, for _her sweetheart?_

"I hate this day," she said with a heavy sigh.

Annie looked up from her magazine and gave her mom a troubled look. "Are you okay?"

Kimberly snuck a glance toward the young girl and ruffled her hair. "Oh, I'm fine, just stressed out. My birthday is stressful. Birthdays are stressful."

Annie gave her mother a sympathetic look. "One year older, huh?"

Kimberly stared at her in mock rage. "Excuse me?"

Annie giggled and shook her head. "Dad didn't forget your birthday," she said aimlessly, attending to her magazine once more.

"Well, if he didn't, I'll just prepare myself now for the surprise party waiting for behind the door," she said smugly as she approached Tommy's driveway.

Annie simply shrugged as the black sedan came to a halt. The girl unfastened her seatbelt with vigor and ran to the door, ringing the bell.

"Anneliese! I'm not carrying your bags inside! Come back here and grab these!" Kimberly called out as she opened the trunk and removed her own.

"I have to pee!" Annie squealed as Tommy answered the door.

"You're here! Hey sweetie," Tommy said as he swooped down to hug his daughter.

"Hi dad! I have to pee!" She insisted, breaking his hold and running past him.

"Hey beautiful," he said softly as he walked toward Kimberly.

Kimberly looked up from the trunk, setting Annie's bag onto the gravel drive before smiling and approaching him.

"Hey handsome," she cooed as he enveloped her in a tight embrace.

"I have a lot to tell you," she whispered before he pulled back.

"Later," he smiled, lowering his head before placing a simple kiss on her lips.

Kimberly inhaled sharply as his mouth touched hers, dropping her purse and wrapping her arms around his neck. She deepened the kiss, stumbling back slightly as Tommy braced himself against the car. She hopped up onto the trunk and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling her into him. She broke away from his mouth momentarily to bathe his neck and collarbone with tiny kisses, cupping his face as she did so.

Tommy let a small laugh escape his lips as Kimberly's tongue tickled his earlobe.

"Kim," Tommy said heavily before pulling away. "What's wrong?"

Kimberly stared at him blankly. "Nothing. I'm just really happy to see you," she said.

Tommy's eyebrow rose furtively. "Really?"

Kimberly hopped off the trunk and picked her bags back up before giving Tommy a small smile.

"Would you help me with Annie's bags?" she asked sweetly.

Tommy nodded as Kimberly started up the driveway. Tommy shook his head as Kimberly entered the house.

"SURPRISE!"

Kimberly shrieked, dropping her bags. There, as she had sardonically mused, was a mini entourage waiting for their cue to attack her with cake and balloons.

She smiled in the moment before realizing who was present. Annie, Tommy, Jason and _Katherine._

Tommy set the bags down beside the door as he laughed and came up behind her, shaking her from her astound.

"Happy birthday, beautiful," he said quietly, kissing her on the cheek. "I have another…gift for you later," he whispered with a wink as he made his way into the kitchen.

"Happy birthday, mom!" Annie squealed.

"Your face was priceless, sis!" Jason said, laughing as he gave her a hug. She hugged back half heartedly before Katherine approached her.

"Hey love, happy birthday! I made the boys put four candles on the cake, so you wouldn't be overwhelmed!" Katherine cajoled lightly.

Kimberly feigned a shared laugh as she allowed Kat to aimlessly lead her to the sofa.

A chorus of '_Happy Birthday'_ began as Tommy led the rest of the troops out into the living room, setting the cake on the table before her.

A giant pink, icing covered heart sat there, four candles in a line, with the words, _a heart for my Hart. I love you. _

"Blow out the candles! Make a wish!"

"Make it good, sis!"

Kimberly held her hair back with one hand and closed her eyes. Bent over the small dessert, she pursed her lips together, distinguishing all four flames at once.

A round of applause as laughter and mirth subsided.

"Here mom! Open your presents!" Annie gushed as she brought over the stack of wrapped packages, situating herself beside Kim. Jason took a seat in the chair as Katherine balanced on the arm of the sofa while Tommy stood.

"Oh, God! Thanks guys," Kimberly said bashfully, reaching for the first one.

She tore the rectangular box apart, digging through the tissue paper and pulling out a

dark pink, leather, day planner. She smiled, knowing this to be from Annie. She had specifically asked for a new organizer and Annie had known exactly which one.

"Thank you munchkin," she cooed as she wrapped an arm around the girl.

Annie giggled in delight as Kim moved on to the next one.

"That's from me," Katherine said as Kimberly stopped briefly and openly stared at her.

Katherine just kept smiling before Kimberly caught herself and smiled back. "Thank you. Or well, let me open it first then I'll thank you!" she joked, more bitingly than she meant to.

She unwrapped the thin package and pulled out a frame. Inside, the entire gang's senior year photo together, all eleven of them, taken right before the holidays.

"Wow," Kimberly said in disbelief. "Where on earth did you find this?"

Katherine shrugged. "I have my sources," she said with a giggle. Kimberly snickered but smiled and thanked her for the wonderful gift.

"Here's mine, Pinky," Jason said with a nudge to her leg. Kimberly rolled her eyes as she grabbed the gift bag.

"Jason!" Kimberly shrieked as she peered inside and snapped it shut immediately. "Annie, you need to leave the room for a moment."

Annie's face went red as she jumped from her seat and averted her eyes. "I don't even want to know. I'll be in my room. Happy Birthday, mom!" Annie said quickly as she dashed down the hall.

Katherine hopped up too and followed. "I've left a bunch of things in there. I'm just going to fetch them. Be right back."

Kimberly peaked inside the bag and reached in, pulling out the following items: a box of strawberry flavored condoms; edible, almond body oil; a conspicuous, battery operated massager; a pair of handcuffs; and last but not least, an eight inch, white leather, whip.

If Kimberly thought she was embarrassed, she hadn't seen Tommy's face. With every item that Kim drew from the bag, each more questionable than the next, Tommy felt more blood rush to his groin.

"Did she see it?" Katherine asked excitedly as she reentered the room with her bags.

Jason nodded and smiled proudly to himself. Kimberly's face was flushed as she quickly gathered all the items and placed them back in the bag.

"You like?" Jason asked with a wry grin.

Kimberly smiled nervously and bit her lip. "Thanks…." She lingered, mortified.

"I helped Jason pick them out! Aren't they a hoot?" Katherine said as she slid onto the couch next to Kim.

"I thought it'd be an interesting little birthday treat for the two of you," Jason said, gesturing to Kim and Tommy.

"Well it's certainly interesting," Tommy managed to squeak out.

"You helped him pick them out?" Kimberly reiterated to Kat.

The blonde nodded as Jason cut in. "You should have seen the looks we got, traipsing up to the counter with all this stuff!"

"And the girl kept recommending other items for us to consider!" Katherine remembered fondly.

"Suggesting ways to use them!" Jason laughed.

"We had to convince the girl they weren't for us!" Katherine added merrily.

Kimberly had heard enough. "Take this," she said, grabbing the bag and shoving it toward Tommy.

"Jason, could I speak to you for a moment?" Kimberly asked coolly.

Jason rolled his eyes and stood up lazily, following Kimberly outside.

Katherine gave Tommy a nervous look before standing up and retrieving her bags.

"I'm going to set my things in the upstairs bedroom, if that's okay?"

Tommy nodded absently before clearing his throat and sifting through Jason's nefarious gift bag once more.

Outside, Kimberly walked to the edge of the porch as Jason shut the door behind them and leaned against it before Kim spun around to face him.

"Are you sleeping with Kat?" She blurted out.

Jason's eyes widened as his jaw dropped. "What?"

"You heard me."

"Am I sleeping with—No! What the hell gave you that... are you nuts? She just broke up with Billy!"

"Yeah, cause Kat confessed to having an affair with someone else. Are you the someone else, Jase?" Kimberly asked again, silently praying he couldn't confirm her accusation.

"No! I'm not the someone else, I'm not _anybody else_! I'm not….Kat's cheating on Billy?"

Kimberly rolled her eyes. "Don't play dumb with me. You knew that," she snapped.

"I knew they broke up. I didn't know why."

"Well, what did you think would happen if you and Kat started sleeping together? That Billy would just ignore it?"

Jason's face began to flush, he was fuming. "I'm not sleeping with Kat!"

"Don't lie to me, Jason! Who else could it possibly be? Billy said that she's been cheating on him since New Year's. If they were together the entire holiday, who else could she have possibly seen outside of Tommy, Rocky, Zack and Adam?"

"That leaves quite a few possibilities, Kimmie!" Jason snapped back.

"Adam's engaged to be married. Kat wouldn't sleep with Rocky and she barely knows Zack!"

"Well then I guess that just leaves me or _Tommy_, huh?" he spat.

Kimberly's face contorted into a bizarre mix of fury and fear, daring him to continue.

"It wouldn't be Tommy!" She seethed.

"Oh really? Why not?" He challenged.

"Because she knows better! And so does he!" She barked, losing her cool at the sudden triumph her insecurity was celebrating.

"And so do I! Jesus, what do you take me for? And who the hell are you to accuse me of anything? After all I've done for you! After everything I've said and done? I lied to my best friend for ten years for you! I helped you, supported you, comforted you, helped you raise Annie….and this is the thanks I get? Accusing me of sleeping with my friend's ex-girlfriend? Why? Cause I'm helping through a rough patch? Cause I'm friendly? Cause I'm a nice to her?"

"Cause you took her to a sex shop to buy toys!" Kimberly reminded him hotly.

"FOR YOU and TOMMY!"

"Well, excuse me for thinking that it's inappropriate to hunt for lubricant and handcuffs with your friend's ex-girlfriend, right after they've just broken up!"

"I was going to buy that stuff for you and Tommy with or without Kat! She said she'd come along and help, thought it'd take her mind off of things!"

"Well, she certainly seems to have made peace with this whole situation! She barely looks bothered let alone upset that she's just gone and crushed Billy's heart!"

"Well not everyone writes their boyfriend a break up letter and pines for twelve years to mourn their indiscretions!"

Jason's face practically spun backward as Kimberly delivered a hard smack to his cheek.

"Katherine's so lucky to have such a considerate friend like you, Jason," Kimberly said slowly, her eyes brimming with liquid fire.

Jason side stepped another assault as Kimberly rammed into him, leaving him out on the porch alone.

As she came back inside, Tommy emerged from the kitchen and gave Kimberly a solemn look.

"What happened?" he asked quietly.

She stared at him coolly and summoned her strength. She did not deserve this. Not today. Not any day, but not _today._

"Are you sleeping with Katherine?" Kimberly muttered, utterly disbelieving the question she was posing.

"What?" Tommy's heart completely dropped as he nearly blinked his eyes out of his head.

Jason reentered just in time to witness this, inferring what Tommy had just been asked and rolling his eyes in disgust.

"_Great_," he muttered.

"I'm not sleeping with Tommy," Katherine said suddenly, coming down the stairs, her bags in tow.

The other three adults suddenly looked up and watched as the blonde entered the room.

"I'm not sleeping with Jason, either," she added, coolly.

Tommy's hurt expression suddenly turning to one of shock as he looked at Jason and then back at Kimberly.

Kimberly bowed her head in shame and nodded slowly. Jason cleared his throat as

Katherine smiled curtly.

"Thank you for letting me stay here while I cleared my head but, I think my welcome's run out."

Katherine walked to the door and turned the knob before spinning around. "I never meant to hurt Billy, or any of you. Happy Birthday."

Katherine shut the door behind her as the trio remained in awkward silence for a long moment.

Jason was the first to leave the room, saying nothing and heading down the hallway to his bedroom. He slammed the door as he disappeared behind it.

Kimberly wanted to apologize to Tommy. He had every right to be mad and offended, though he looked more in shock than anything else.

She broke into a soft sob before heading up the stairs toward Tommy's bedroom, leaving him standing by himself, still in utter dismay.

_February 14__th__, 2008_

_6:30 pm_

_Tommy's House_

He hadn't given her much time by alone before he followed, though perhaps he should have. As Tommy entered the room, Kimberly lay sprawled on his bed, clumsily crying and wiping her face.

"Kim?" He asked softly.

"Oh, Tommy. Go away. I can't handle this right now. I don't deserve to look at you let alone talk to you."

Tommy snickered and kept approaching, finally sitting at the foot of the bed and started to remove her shoes.

"I would certainly like to know where you got that idea," he mused patiently. He had a brief second downstairs where he was angry, but that emotion soon gave over to shock and concern after he saw Jason's reaction. Tommy had a feeling Kim had spoken to Billy, and her accusation had been more out of frustration then belief.

"I talked to Billy," Kim said weakly.

"I figured."

"He told me that Kat had confessed to cheating on him. Someone she's been seeing since New Year's. I had a feeling so I asked Jason if he was the guy."

Tommy furrowed his brow and nodded slowly, now rubbing her bare feet. "I assumed something like that happened. After he slammed his door and Kat left, of course," he said with a bashful smile.

"Jason was so mad at me. And Kat! Kat barely looked at me."

"She was probably embarrassed, Kim. And Jason'll get over it. If what Kat said was true, and I'm assuming Jason denied anything as well, then he'll get over it. He'll come to his senses and realize you were just protecting your friend."

"But Jason's my friend too! He's practically my family and I accused him of something so outrageous and I was wrong! I can't get that glare out of my head! Tommy, he looked like he could hit me, seriously. I don't blame him."

Tommy slowly crept away from her feet and moved to the bed, sitting up beside her, running his hands through her hair.

"Jason would never, Kim. No matter how mad he was. And if he did, then I'd kill him."

Kimberly laughed in spite of herself and rolled over to bury her face in his chest.

"I was just so sure I was on to something. And then Kat barged through the door, laughing about having bought the gift with him! I was convinced!"

Tommy laughed as he continued to massage her head. "I was definitely weirded out when I heard that too. It seemed fishy. But ya know beautiful, nothing's happened the entire time she was here with us. I've been around the house as much as they have and never saw anything strange between them."

Kimberly nodded and sat up, facing him. "I guess if they had been seeing each other they'd have been awkward, huh? I guess I took their ease with each other as a sign. I thought they were just being heartless instead of innocent. God! I feel like an asshole."

Tommy hushed her with his lips, cradling her face in his hands. "So why'd I get the attack then, too?" he asked playfully after the parted.

Kimberly brought a hand up to her face and shook her head in embarrassment.

"I claimed that if she met the guy at New Year's then it'd have to be one of our friends. I was quick to rule out everyone but him and you."

"So Jason threw it back in your face, huh?"

Kim nodded feebly. "And I in turn, got super defensive. But I had to be sure. He got me really worried."

"Did I make you worry?" Tommy asked suddenly. Kim looked at him sadly. She shrugged and shook her head. He didn't fully believe her.

"Hey," he said, lifting her chin to face him. "Do I make you worry about something like that?" His tone was firm but not angry.

"No. I make myself worry that you'd make me worry," she said with a grimace, pulling his hand away before climbing off the bed.

Tommy grabbed her by the wrist and spun her back around. He scooted himself toward her, seated on the mattress as his legs draped around her standing figure.

"Stop doing that," he scolded playfully. She gave him a somber smile and bit her lip.

"I should apologize to Jason," she told him, starting to wriggle from his grasp. As she pulled away, the slightest hint of lace peeked from under her blazer.

Tommy quickly caught her hand once more and pulled her back again. "What's this?"

He asked curiously, tugging at the lapel as Kimberly's eyes widened.

"Tommy!" She squealed, smacking his hand away. "Do you mind?"

"You always wear that sexy stuff under your work clothes?" He asked wryly.

Kimberly gave him a disapproving look, hands on her hips. "If you must know, I bought this as a gift to myself."

Tommy's smile widened. "Did you plan on showing it to anyone?" he asked.

Kimberly's smirked. "Not really," she lied.

"Can I see it?" he posed, resting his elbows back behind him on the bed.

"Maybe."

Tommy licked his lips as she came closer to him, her hands resting on the button of her jacket.

"Come to papa," he breathed.

Kimberly flashed him a split second of the article in question before promptly spinning back around and closing the jacket.

Tommy's face fell in disappoint and he leapt from the bed and stopped in front of the door.

Kimberly laughed before turning somewhat somber again. "Tommy, please let me through. I really should go talk to Jason."

Tommy stared her down, his eyes were piercing. "No way. You can't possibly pull a move like that and expect me to do nothing!"

Kimberly repressed a smug laugh before folding her arms across her chest. "Lest everyone forget, it is still my birthday and I can do whatever the hell I want!"

She reached for the doorknob, but not before Tommy blocked it. They zigzagged for a moment, dancing around each other in an attempt to fake the other one out.

Kimberly finally dodged Tommy's body and turned the handle, planting a victorious foot outside the threshold of his room.

Tommy caught up to her a second later, grabbing her by the waist and dragging her back inside the room, kicking the door shut behind him.

"Tommy! This is ridiculous! I'll show you the damn lingerie! Put me down!"

Tommy ignored her protests, carried her to the bed before unceremoniously dropping her there and standing over her.

"Strip."

Kimberly cackled loudly before sitting up and glaring at him.

"Are you nuts?" She asked him.

"Do it."

She gave him an incredulous look. "Umm, isn't it my birthday? Shouldn't I be barking orders at you? Where's this other gift you promised me earlier?"

"You started this Kim," he challenged.

"And I'm going to finish it. Excuse me," she said quickly as she hopped up from the bed and started for the door once more.

"Damn it, Kim. Can't we just have sex now and then you can talk to Jason later?"

Kimberly stopped and turned to face him. "Wow, that's romantic. I hope that wasn't the extent of your gift."

Tommy pouted and shoved his hands into his pockets. "You're gonna come back either upset or complacent and either way the mood will be gone."

"Thanks for telling me how I'll how feel."

"Kim, come on. I'm not trying to piss you off; I just wanted to spend some time with you alone tonight. And for your information, you haven't even seen the beginning of my gift."

Kimberly rolled her eyes before brushing herself off and heading out the door. Tommy groaned and dropped onto the bed in a huff. He could hear her light footsteps trailing toward Jason's door. She heard her knock, and Jason open. She heard their muffled greeting before Jason's door shut again.

They were talking civilly, Tommy assumed, for he could not hear a word the other spoke.

Then it came. Something had been said to reignite their fury. Jason went off about Kimberly attacking him. She, in turn berated him for speaking to her that way.

Tommy continued to listen, resisting the urge to intervene. Suddenly, Annie showed up in his doorway.

"What happened?" The girl asked.

Tommy shook off his surprise before beckoning the girl to sit beside him. "Crazy grownup stuff," he told her with a shake of his head.

"Kat sounded upset when she left. I heard mom and Jason yelling outside earlier. Uncle Billy and Kat broke up? Is Kat with Uncle Jay? Is that why they're yelling?"

"More or less," Tommy started. "Well, no, not exactly. I mean, I don't know what's going on."

Annie strained her ears as Jason and Kim's voices finally softened again. It was a moment before Jason's door reopened and the two could be heard more clearly.

Annie stood up as Kimberly approached the door. "Is everything okay?"

Kimberly shrugged, closing in on her daughter and wrapping her in a hug. "Jason would like to take you out to dinner. Give your father and me some time alone. We need to talk for awhile."

Annie nodded solemnly. She looked back at her dad and waved before heading back down the stairs.

Kimberly followed Annie to the door and waited until she heard her and Jason leave. Once gone, she slowly reentered the room and shut the door behind her, leaning up against the frame.

Tommy observed her carefully, not having moved since she returned. "What happ-"

Kimberly's mouth descended onto his before he could get another word out, pushing him back onto the bed.

"Get my gift ready and I'll get yours," she breathed as she sat up and withdrew herself from him, slinking into the bathroom.

Tommy lay there, amazed for a few seconds before running down the stairs like a mad man. He returned a few moments later, carrying a tray holding an assortment of things.

He set the tray on his dresser and approached the bathroom door, knocking softly.

"Kim? I'm ready when you are," he said excitedly. He watched the knob turn and backed up slowly to admire the view.

"What the…?" He was flummoxed and somewhat annoyed. There stood Kimberly, in the exact outfit she'd possessed five minutes before. Nothing had changed. And the lingerie she'd promised him was nowhere in sight.

"You didn't think I'd spoil the best part did you?" She teased, entering the room.

Tommy's sullen face gave way to one of intrigue now as she continued to back him up until he fell onto the bed, seated like a wide eyed, little boy.

She started at the top, letting her hair fall down onto her shoulders. Tommy smirked as her hands now reached for her jacket button and slowly peeled each one away.

His breath shortened as she deliberately shrugged off the shoulders and let the coat fall to the floor behind her. Kimberly remained unaffected, staring into his eyes as she started to unzip her skirt.

Tommy brought his hands to her waist and pushed her hands away. "No. Stop," he told her softly. He held her arms out to admire her torso for a moment. The lacy top was sheer and tiny, allowing nothing to the imagination. Kimberly's small, ample breasts crest above it, glistening against the fabric. Her nipples were visible through the lace, tantalizing Tommy's thirst as he licked his lips.

Kimberly smiled wickedly as she made her way back to the zipper of her skirt before Tommy stopped her hands once again. Her held her by the hips and spun her around, taking the zipper into his own hands.

"Let me," he said with the smallest trace of pleading in his voice. Kimberly closed her eyes as the clothing fell into a pool around her feet. She kicked it away as Tommy held her in place, staring at her delicious backside, face level to him as he remained seated on the bed.

His hands slowly rubbed along her hips, daring to brush against her ass. He summoned all his strength to not take her from behind right there, knowing he'd not seen the glorious treasure that awaited him in front. Kimberly turned on her heels to face him, smiling slyly as his appreciation reared its head not only in his face but down below.

"Jesus," he whispered as he blatantly stared. The matching thong had been naughty enough from the back, but the front stood to bring him to tears.

The cut was high and deep, and the little triangle of fabric barely covered her. Tommy swallowed the lump in his throat as he realized Kim had shaven herself almost bare.

"You like?" She cooed, bending down to face him.

"Oh yeah," he managed to squeak out as Kimberly lifted her knee onto the bed and pushed him back; her leg now pressing against his crotch as she hovered above him.

His hands roamed aimlessly over her backside, playing with the hem of her negligee as they just stared at one another.

Kimberly nudged her leg into him again, causing an involuntary moan to escape his lips as she sat back on her haunches as began to undo his belt.

He lifted himself up slightly to remove his shirt as Kim then worked on his pants. Between her thigh and the light friction of her hands fumbling for the zipper, Tommy's groin was throbbing.

He released another pained moan as she slid his pants roughly off and over his now full erection.

Kimberly met his gaze and smiled wickedly as she teased the waistband of his boxers, gliding an innocent finger under the elastic before snapping it back.

He winced with a playful scowl on his face as he grabbed her by the arms and pulled her into him, mouths colliding.

Their lips parted quickly, tongues twisting and finding their way. Kimberly bit his lip before breaking the kiss and began her slow descent down his chest. Realizing her target, Tommy grabbed her by the waist and rolled them over, so he now hovered over her.

Kimberly looked slightly miffed at him for stopping her before he smiled and nuzzled her neck. "Birthday girl goes first," he whispered into her ear before nibbling on the lobe.

Kimberly closed her eyes and moaned softly as Tommy continued to bath her neck and collarbone with his tongue. He came across her left breast, still hiding coyly behind the lacy camisole. He took the fabric in his teeth and pulled it aside, licking the heave of her flesh. He slid a free hand underneath the teddy and pushed the fabric up, kissing the valley in between the two slight peaks.

Kimberly giggled as Tommy led a trail with his tongue from there to her navel, kissing it softly. He brought one hand up to cup her right breast as his face crept lower and lower.

Kimberly inhaled sharply as Tommy removed his hand and ran it down her side until it stopped at the tiny string fastened to her hip. He stood for a moment, pulling her until her lap was almost off the bed and knelt before her on the floor.

Tracing soft circles on her thighs, Kimberly's legs parted unconsciously as Tommy kissed high her inner leg. He nuzzled the lace covered mound with his face, letting his mouth rest there for a moment before kissing it. Kimberly twitched as he teased her with a quick dart of his tongue, pressing the lace inside her.

"Oh…"she barely breathed as she then felt Tommy's fingers slowly push the lace to one side and sneak another taste.

She moaned in frustration. Tommy smiled and ran his finger down its length. He felt her muscles tighten as he did this and dared to tease her one more time.

A throaty growl escaped her lips as he continued his ministrations. "Ugh…mmm….Tommy…"she whispered. "Tommy, please….oh, please…just…do it…do it, please."

He obliged, hooking his fingers to the strings of her panties and sliding them down quickly, throwing them wherever.

He pried her legs even farther apart and slid one hand beneath her, raising her pelvis off the mattress for better access while the other lay flat against her stomach, bracing her down.

He opened his mouth and slid his tongue along her slit in one quick motion, causing her to buck. He repeated the motion, administering dashes as she writhed against him.

She grabbed his head and tugged at his hair, steering his face. He removed his hand from her stomach and placed it atop one of her own, silently asking her to ease off her tugging.

Kimberly complied and released his head, grabbing his free hand instead and brought it up to her mouth. Her mouth descended upon his index finger, sucking and lathering it with her mouth and tongue.

Her own exhibition only encouraged Tommy more. He lowered his head and flattened his tongue, grazing her center with all of his mouth.

Kimberly's muffled moan came as she sucked on his digit harder, daring to swallow it.

He wagged his tongue along the glistening lips between her thighs, now becoming wetter and wetter with every flick.

Kimberly took yet another finger in her mouth, fellating two of his fingers as he continued his own ministration down below. At last, he swirled his tongue back and forth across the swollen bead as Kimberly violently pulled his fingers from her mouth and squeezed her legs up against his ears, exploding in ripples of cursing and moaning.

Once she caught her breath, her legs involuntarily fell open once again and she lay there on the bed, panting and smiling and Tommy kissed her wetness on her thigh and climbed back up on top of her, brushing her hair off her sweat drowned brow.

_February 14__th__, 2008_

_8:20pm_

_Tommy's House_

The couple had dozed off momentarily after their exploits and were now simply lying in bed, talking and laughing.

"Do you want your gift now?" Tommy asked as he kissed her forehead, stroking her hair.

She gazed at him longingly and smiled. "You already gave it too me, twice," she cooed.

Tommy blushed and sat up. "I should definitely be the one thanking you for that," he countered playfully.

Kimberly sat up as well and adjusted Tommy's boxers that she was now wearing. He climbed off the bed naked as the day is long is ran to his dresser to grab the tray he'd brought up earlier.

Kimberly whistled, staring at his absolutely gorgeous body. Still muscular and tan, but a little meatier than he'd been in his youth. Tommy looked over his shoulder and winked before setting the tray onto her lap and climbing back under the sheets.

Kimberly laughed immediately when she saw he'd brought up Jason's gift bag, though they hadn't bothered to use anything from it earlier.

""What, no food?" she said as they shared a laugh. She set the gift bag down on the floor and perused the other items on the tray: a pink daisy, a sealed manila folder and a tiny box with a bow perched on top.

Kimberly picked up the flower and twirled it between her thumb and forefinger, staring at the small box anxiously.

"Open this first," Tommy instructed, handing her the box. Kimberly's eyes widened in disbelief as he placed the package in her hands.

"Why don't I open the folder first?" She suggested quickly, moving to set the box down.

Tommy caught her hand and brought it back to her. "Nah, you can open the folder after. Just…open the box now, would ya?"

Kimberly's heart was beating rapidly. Her hands were shaking and her throat was dry as she began to pry the tiny lid open. She stopped herself suddenly, snapped the lid back down.

"You open it," she said, handing it off to him. Tommy laughed and gave her a bewildered look.

"What's wrong with you?" He playfully chided. "The box won't bite."

Kimberly giggled nervously as he placed it back in her grasp one last time.

"Okay, here it goes," she said slowly.

She steadied her breath and closed her eyes as she felt for the lid again, gently lifting it up. Once opened, she kept her eyes closed, much to Tommy's chagrin.

"Kim, what are you doing?"

"I'm just…not ready to look at it yet. Give me a second."

Tommy rolled his eyes and snorted. "Here, I'll take it out of the box for you, would that be better?"

Kimberly nodded appreciatively but remained blinded.

Tommy shook his head as he reached into the small container and drew out the gift.

"What is it?" Kimberly asked, still shielding her vision.

"Don't you want to see for yourself?" Tommy asked her suspiciously.

"Umm…yes….but….no."

Now Tommy was getting annoyed. "Kimberly, would you please just open your eyes?"

Kimberly bit her lip and shook her head vehemently. "Give me a hint."

Tommy huffed and adjusted himself on the bed to face her better. "Let me help put it on you," he said deliberately. "Is that a good enough hint?"

Kimberly began to cry, yet did not dare open her eyes. She had a guess what was in the tiny box, and now he'd confirmed it.

"It's…..jewelry?" She stalled, eyes still shut; tears slowly cascading.

"Well now that the surprise is ruined I—" Tommy started to say as Kimberly opened her eyes and looked down.

"Oh, Tommy I can't believe—" She began before realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

"What is that?" She asked with thinly veiled disappointment.

Tommy scoffed, looking just as dejected as she did. "You don't like it."

Kimberly's eyes stared at the necklace in Tommy's hand in utter humiliation.

"No! I love it!"

"Whatever," he mumbled.

"No, Tommy! It's beautiful!" She recovered, taking the necklace from his hand and examining it. A modest silver chain, cradling a silver, dragonfly shaped pendant.

"You don't have to humor me. It's fine," he said with a shrug, reaching to grab the tray from her.

Kimberly snatched his hand away and brought his face to hers, kissing him square on the mouth. "Thank you. I love it. It's beautiful. Shut up."

Tommy laughed in spite of himself before helping her put it on.

"Now you can open the folder," he told her with a smile.

Kimberly reached for the manila paper and slid her nail along the flap, tearing it open. As she was about to remove its contents, she stopped.

"Jason and I made up," she said with a small smile.

Tommy nodded and rubbed her back before climbing out of bed and began to get dressed.

"That's good. I couldn't tell what happened from up here," he said with a sheepish grin.

"I'm sorry we yelled again. It got pretty nasty at one point but, and I still think I had every right to be suspicious but, we're okay."

Tommy shrugged as he slid his new boxers and undershirt on before reaching for a pair of jeans.

"I think he was more upset that you didn't trust him," Tommy offered.

Kimberly snickered and removed the folder's remains. Inside, a thick stack of papers sat before her. She fanned the tops of the pages, staring at it in confusion.

"What is this?" She asked as she began to read the first page.

"Just something I've been working this last month," Tommy said absently from the bathroom.

"Tommy, what is this?" Kim repeated, flipping onto the next couple pages.

Tommy chuckled as Kimberly gasped. _Application and contract for Tangential Academic Educator for the RCCSC._

"What is all this?" She muttered once again. "A teaching contract, for Reefside schools? This is for me?"

"I've got some pull with the administration," Tommy explained, now searching for his shoes. "I asked if there was room for a new Art teacher in the area and they said they'd look into it. Turns out, there's an opening at the High School."

"But this says it's a temporary position," Kimberly furthered her reading, flipping over another page.

"For now," Tommy explained. "The current teacher, Mr. Hamlin, is taking a leave of absence for a few months. You'd have to start by March but, after the semester's over, they'll love you enough to keep you on as a permanent teacher."

"Tommy," she sighed lovingly. "This is an amazing thing, and I'm overwhelmed but, I can't quit my job in Angel Grove for a substitute position. What if Mr. Hamlin doesn't come back?"

"Then you'll take over indefinitely," he countered playfully, still wandering around for his shoe.

"Did you already submit an application?" She asked, bewildered, now down to the last few pages.

"Well…yes and no. I gave them you're reference number and they did a background check. They liked what they saw enough to accept you as a candidate so that's merely the permission slip, should you choose to take the job."

"So I'll I'd have to do is sign this and I could just walk into Reefside High?"

"Tell them your name and you'd start right away!" He smiled. "Just finish reading," he waved her on.

"I need to think about this," she said slowly as she flipped one last page.

"Have you seen my other shoe?" He asked lightly, limping around the room.

"It's on the floor here, on my side," she said absently as she began reading the final print.

Tommy crossed to the bed and crouched to his knee beside Kim to retrieve his shoe as Kimberly screamed.

Tommy smiled, recognizing his planned had worked perfectly. He looked up, still on one knee as Kimberly stared back at him.

"Is this….is this…" she stammered, staring at the page.

Albeit unceremoniously, was a thin, silver band; taped to the bottom of the sheet. It held one single opal, twinkling as it caught the glare of the light.

Tommy remained genuflect as he reached his hand out and removed the tiny trinket.

"Kim," he said slowly, swallowing a lump in his throat. "Will you marry me?"

Kimberly covered her mouth with her hand, staring at him wide eyed.

"Shut your face!" She screamed suddenly, leaping onto him and off the bed, flinging the tray and papers everywhere.

The couple fell to the floor in a fit of tears and laughter.

"Are you serious? You fucking dick!" Kimberly shrieked playfully. "You played me! You are such a shit!" she continued, slapping him on his arms and chest as she lay straddled across his lap.

Tommy laughed hysterically as he held her flailing arms at bay. "Is that a yes?"

"I thought the necklace…" Kim started to say, "And then I got my hopes up but I forgot about it after….and then you had me going about the teacher thing…."

He stopped her rambling with his mouth, gently tugging on her bottom lip before she pushed him down to the floor and deepened the embrace.

It was time. That's how Tommy justified it. They had come so far since first reuniting and his feelings hadn't faltered. He'd imagined this moment so many time in his youth, proposing to Kim and her happily kissing him with her affirmative.

Of course, the circumstances being what they were, had allowed Tommy to rethink his plan of attack. Though he had enjoyed Kim's genuine astonishment when he'd given her the necklace earlier. He knew what she was thinking and he had played her. He played her so well.

"So, is _that_ a yes?" He asked again when they parted from the kiss. Kimberly gazed down at him and bit her lip.

"It's a most likely," she teased. Tommy's face fell ever so slightly, to which Kim caught.

"I can't take the job in Reefside. Not yet. Not until an actual, permanent position is available."

Tommy nodded as he pulled himself up to face her better, now both sitting on the floor, legs entangled.

"What if I could guarantee you a permanent position?" He offered cryptically.

"Then I'd finish out the school year in Angel Grove and move to Reefside immediately."

"What if you had to start before the semester's out?"

Kimberly gave him a sad smile but shook her head. "I can't. I'm sorry. I can't abandon my job."

Tommy sighed and looked away, nodding his head in disgruntled understanding. Kim reached her hand to his chin and pulled him to face her.

"Hey," she said softly. "Hey look at me. I love you. I am in love with you. I have never been as wonderfully content as I am when I'm with you. And I want to be with you. I want to have a home with you and a family and have sex and cry and laugh with you. But I can't do all those things with a clear conscience if I just quit my job."

Tommy gave her a bashful grin. "I know. I just thought maybe if you knew how serious I was about this, about _us_….you'd be willing."

"After the semester's over, I'll go anywhere with you," she said with a sad laugh. "Let me see this ring."

Tommy snatched it from her grasp. "You haven't said anything yet! No looky!" He teased.

Kimberly stared at him incredulously. "Are you nuts?"

"It's a simple yes or no question, Kim," he feigned seriousness.

Kimberly laughed as she punched his arm. "You're a bastard."

"Just say the magic word and the ring is yours," he smiled.

"Handsome?"

"Nope."

"Tiger?"

He laughed, "Not even close."

"Mr. Oliver?"

"Way cold," Tommy dismissed.

"I love you?" Kimberly cooed.

"Warmer," he teased.

"I love you this much?" She asked again, holding her arms out as far as she could.

Tommy laughed and crawled toward her, dipping his head to kiss her neck.

"Glad to hear it, but no," he laughed against her skin, leaving a moistened trail along her collarbone.

"Peas and Carrots?" She guessed.

Tommy snorted in her ear as Kimberly jumped slightly at the tickling sensation.

"Marco?"

"Polo," he answered as she giggled.

"No?" She dared to say. Tommy's face lifted from her shoulder and stared at her, frozen with dread.

"No?" He echoed her question, his eyes pleading with her to be joking.

"Yes?" She bit her lip with a shrug.

"Kim!" Tommy sighed, exasperated. "It's not funny anymore!"

"Oh will you lighten up? Of course I'll marry you," she said, giving his arm a careless slap.

Tommy rolled his eyes and tossed the ring to her dismissively. "Cool. Here ya go," he said with a shrug.

Kimberly caught it and laughed as she tugged on his shirt, pulling her to him.

"Yes. Tommy. Yes, I will marry you," she told him seriously, staring him down until he cracked.

"Good," he said with a firm nod.

_**AN: Whew! That chapter had everything! Haha. Catch ya on the flipside!**_


	36. Pulse

_**Pulse**_

_**AN: Sorry for the delay folks. This chapter needed to be finely tuned, and I think you'll thank me for it after reading. Enjoy.**_

_**Chapter 36**_

_**Pulse**_

_March 8__th__, 2008_

_3:23pm_

_Kimberly's House_

March brought a host of joy and confusion in equal measure. The announcement of Kim and Tommy's engagement was kept to a select few, not wanting to steal the spotlight from Adam and Tanya's upcoming nuptials.

Annie was strangely aloof about the whole thing, having at one time wanted her parents back together more than anything in the world. Now, she simply nodded in approval as if their tidings had been expected.

Jason on the other hand, was ecstatic, _too much so_. He fawned over the couple's news as if he hadn't been the instigator and merely an observer hoping for divine intervention.

His attention made Kim nervous, like he was repenting guilt of some sort. Tommy assured her he was simply happy to see them finally commit, to which an argument ensued over who knew Jason better.

A month later, they were still mad at each other. Kimberly insisted Tommy hadn't heard all the things Jason had said to her during their fight over her birthday. Tommy insisted Kimberly was being paranoid and obsessive over issues that weren't her business.

Even Jason had tried to intervene, despite being the topic of their conversation. He reminded Kim of all the insight their February fight had brought them, yet told Tommy his reaction toward Kim's concern was insensitive.

The couple launched into Jason, scolding him for speaking out of bounds, drudging up past issues that were irrelevant, alluding to his personal life cryptically.

No one won this fight. The trio of adults were all too preoccupied with one another's business and no one, save for Annie, attempted to see the other person's perspective for fear of being misunderstood.

The young girl had been tossed around like a rag doll for the past two weeks, indulging each familial figure in their venting. Annie felt overwhelmed and exhausted, and confused.

But she had come out of the tempest with three solid conclusions; Jason was still hiding something, Tommy had shifted into auto pilot since the engagement, and Kim seem to be exceptionally stressed about everything. Though the latter example was not a terribly new discovery.

Nobody had heard from Katherine since that last encounter, not even Jason, if he was truthful. And after her conversation with Jason, Kimberly thought it best not to contact Billy until she saw him at the wedding. The fate of their two friends would just have to remain a mystery for another week.

"Would you sit still for five minutes? You're making me crazy." Tommy asked his fiancée.

Kimberly glared at him as she paced around her living room, straightening everything for the hundredth time. On top of all the other nonsense, Zack and Aisha were staying with Kim for the wedding, though not for a few more days.

"They're just coming over for dinner, babe," Tommy reminded her with a sigh.

That particular term of endearment had recently been saved for more underhanded slights than affection these past few weeks. Whenever Kimberly became too tightly wound, he'd pepper their dialogue with words like 'babe' and 'sweetheart', usually her cue to glare at him and clean something again.

Tommy had subtly reverted back to his younger teen years, secluding himself from high profile social situations and general camaraderie. The hyperbolic fits Kimberly was driving herself toward were grating on him anymore and once or twice he'd found it very difficult to keep his cool, but rather than argue with Kim, he'd tune her out.

"I feel like I don't know my own house anymore!" Kimberly shrieked, futzing with the dinner settings once again.

"Would you relax?"

That was another one. _'Relax'._ Kimberly hated that. Not when someone's genuine concern for your sanity, do they coin the term 'relax' and proceed to sit back and watch you remain tense. No, only when someone condescends and patronizes you because they're personally annoyed by your stress, do they dare utter the word, _'relax.'_

Kimberly couldn't clean or straighten anything anymore, she hated to admit. So she simply crossed over to Tommy and slapped his legs.

"Get your feet off the coffee table," she burned.

Tommy's eyes widened in annoyance as he slid his limbs off and sat up straighter. Kimberly fell into the couch beside him with a huff, crossing her arms.

"That's it," he said after a moment. Rising, he grabbed Kimberly's hand and dragged her down the hall to her bedroom, slamming it shut once inside.

Kimberly wriggled free and spun around to face him, letting her piercing eyes say everything.

"What's _really_ wrong?" Tommy asked, hands across his chest.

Kimberly rolled her eyes and snickered. "That's the dumbest question I've ever heard."

"Kim, you're being ridiculous. How much longer are we gonna keep talking to each other like this?"

"It takes two," she said smugly.

"What the hell does that mean? I know it takes two! That's why I said 'we'!"

"We obviously handle our stress differently," Kim told him.

"Is that was this is? You're _stressed_? About what? The wedding? Zack and Aisha staying over? Having dinner? What?"

"You said some of the rudest things anybody's ever said to me!"

"Are we still talking about that fight with Jason? Jesus, Kim!"

"I can't believe you called me officious! I didn't even know you knew what that word meant!"

"Wow, babe. That was cheap," Tommy scoffed.

"And stop calling me 'babe', okay? I get it! I know when you're being snide!"

"Of course you're still mad," he mumbled with a shake of head.

"And of course you aren't, right? You shut off weeks ago!" She bit back.

"Oh don't pull that shit with me! I'm in here trying to talk aren't I?" Tommy sneered, resting his hands akimbo to his hips languidly.

"Yeah, some serious ground we're breaking! Yahoo!" Kimberly bleated.

"This is pointless," he muttered.

"Wow. If you could give _less_ of a shit about seeing me crazed, I'd give you a fucking medal!" She seethed as her eyes began to water.

Tommy glared at her audacity, "How do I not give a shit?"

"I'm sorry that my stress is making you crazy, okay? I'm sorry that I'm a little difficult when I'm panicked. I'm sorry that everyday with me can't be fucking perfect!"

She was shaking, her hands flying about her tiny body as she gesticulated up a storm. Tommy reached his hands out and tried to calm her down, hushing her soothingly. He was frustrated, no doubt. Their last month together had been one of their rockiest. Not only had they continued fighting, despite having just gotten engaged, but they had barely been intimate; save for occasional snuggling and tired kisses. They'd been too mad at one another to engage in anything remotely romantic.

"Hey, hey, hey," he whispered, holding her arms down and rubbing up and down the length of them. His consolation seemed to be working; at least Kim had stopped yelling.

"I've just got a lot on my mind and I really don't need your apathy," she mumbled between sobs and wiping her nose.

Tommy wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head, fighting the urge to roll his eyes at her final jab, but merely just continued to hold her and rub her back.

"I'm not being apathetic, Kim," he said with as much tolerance as he could muster, "I get stressed out, too. I get stressed out watching you get stressed out! I just don't show it like you do."

"Yeah, you save it for later and then say mean things," she pouted into his chest.

Tommy had to laugh at her insistence. She felt she was in the right, but so did he. It was sometimes a wonder these two were still in love as they were, being so completely different and_ stubborn._

"You just won't let up, will ya?" He tried to say playfully.

"No, Tommy, I won't," she pleaded, breaking away from their quiet moment with a shove, "I have nothing to be sorry about. I have legitimate stress!"

"And you're legitimately driving me nuts!" He whined throwing his hands up in the air.

Kimberly stared at him incredulously, "Ya know what? Fine, why don't you leave for a while? Yeah, why don't go and get away from the poisonous environment I'm creating with all my stress and just relax for awhile?"

Now Tommy let his eyes roll freely, "Kim, don't do this," he started.

"No, no. It's fine. I can see that my behavior is affecting you negatively and that's only contributing to my stress so, why don't you leave and then we'll be both be out of each other's hair, k?"

Tommy scratched the back of head before shrugging and walking toward the door.

"Fine," he said curtly before shutting the door behind him.

Annie was coming out of the kitchen when Tommy reentered the living room, searching for his keys.

"Oh, dad! I was wondering, since its Spring break, tonight's the last chance for me to see some of my friends before they head off for vacation and…" Annie started to ask as Kim entered the room.

"Ask your mother," he said, "I apparently don't care about anything," he finished sending Kim an icy glare before grabbing his keys off the table and heading out the door.

Kimberly tightened her jaw as the door slammed behind him, leaving Annie to finish her request awkwardly.

"Uh, mom? I know Zack and Aunt Isha are coming over for dinner but, would it be okay if I hung out with—"

"Whatever. Go. Yes, fine," Kimberly said quickly and sharply, retreating to the kitchen as the front door reopened.

"Sweetie, if you're ready to go now I'll take you wherever," Tommy said as he stuck his head around the frame.

Kimberly glanced back and shook her head as Annie looked between them before nodding nervously and stammering, "Uh, yeah…sure. Let me just get my bag."

The young girl scampered off to her room as Kimberly began prepping the kitchen for her guests tonight. She turned to see if Tommy was still at the door but he wasn't.

"Bye mom, thanks again," Annie said weakly, waiting for Kim to respond. When none came, Annie backed out of the living room guiltily and shut the front door behind her.

Once alone, Kimberly slammed down the knife she'd been using to cut some vegetables and crossed the room for the phone. Dialing quickly she heard the drawl of her friend answer the other line.

"Hey Isha, umm…I'm so sorry to do this but, I'm just not feeling very well. Could we rain check dinner? Oh yeah, I'm fine, just a little out of it. That'd be great, thank you. Yeah, yeah. I'll see you guys in a few days. No, it's still great. I can't wait to see you! Okay, love you too! Bye," she finished as she hung the phone back on the receiver.

Kimberly went back to the cutting board and gathered up the vegetables before deciding to just leave them. She left the kitchen and stared at the empty place settings on the table.

Her hand shot up to her face as she rubbed her forehead before tiny sobs began to fall.

_March 8__th__, 2008_

_8:23pm_

_Kimberly's House_

Kimberly opened her eyes and let out a yawn as she sat up clumsily, squinting at the television clock. It was almost eight thirty and the house was empty. The house was dark, thanks to her having fallen asleep while it had still been light outside. She maneuvered through the tiny space and began to turn on a few select lamps.

Once illuminated, she glanced around the house to find any signs that someone else had returned home. Nothing. Annie she half expected to still be out, as her curfew was not until midnight, it being the weekend and a holiday. But Tommy, where was Tommy?

She knew he had left angrily and she'd let him go angrily but, he hadn't known she'd cancelled dinner and that would have been at seven. She had expected him home before then. Unless, he hadn't planned on coming back before the dinner; _or at all tonight_.

Kimberly sighed and collapsed back on the couch in the living room. Why were they finding it so impossible to communicate lately? Sure, the anticipation of two close friends getting married brought on a lot of feelings, but those were mostly happy nerves. And the fact that she'd be playing host to two other dear friends was a bit pre-occupying, but not really combative. The fight with and about Jason had shaken things up a bit. She and Tommy were both extremely close to Jason, but their loyalties were still marked in different ways, she supposed that was part of their dissidence. Annie had been spending more time away from them, which was heart tugging but normal. They hadn't had sex in almost a month, which was certainly unsettling. Not that she needed it all the time, nor did Tommy really. But it was troubling to note that prior to their engagement, they'd certainly been more; _responsive_. Kimberly was left with only Tommy's proposal to blame for the majority of her anxiety. She didn't know why exactly, she'd been waiting and hoping for that moment for a long time. But just as it came; it left. There, they were engaged, and sometime in the near future, they'd be married. Wow, _married._ The notion of being Tommy's wife had been a teenage fantasy, a literal fairytale. But now, the reality came crashing down on her like a ton of bricks. Were they really ready to get married? It had been a little over three months since the couple had officially rekindled their relationship. Though one could argue that their adoration and affection had been brewing since they were thrust back into each other's lives way back when Tommy had discovered the truth about Annie. Then again, you could also argue that they'd never stopped loving one another, even after Kim had left for Florida, even after the letter.

Of course, they'd said some of the most gruesome things they'd ever uttered to one another since their reconciliation, went through counseling, delivered bitter greetings and proud glances as they both attempted to uphold their damaged egos, fought in front of Annie, in front of Jason, involved in a treacherous and bizarre triangle when Mason came around and yet; they had managed to find a balance for a little while. Things were actually going swimmingly up until Kimberly's birthday and Tommy's proposal.

And the Katherine and Billy thing happened. She still didn't know what to make of it all. Jason had finally admitted that he did know of Kat's indiscretions, and that that he had been in fact interested in Kat at one point in time, while she was together with Billy. But he was adamant about the fact that he wasn't sleeping with her. He didn't know who this other guy was, but he'd like to find him and punch his lights out. His macho statement only fueled Kimberly's frustration. Jason should be mad at Katherine, not the guy! Why this allusive other man? Cause he tempted unwilling Katherine to cheat on her boyfriend? Absurd, she cried out as Jason had taken the defensive. Their words were curt and crumbling, but they both understood where the other was coming from.

Now why couldn't she and Tommy be that way? Despite all the storms they'd weathered, this past month had felt almost laughable; exchanging pouts and petty glares at one another, sleeping with their backs turned to each other. Dropping subtle jabs into conversation just to convince themselves that one of them still had the upper hand and not the other.

Kimberly grumbled as she shook her head, trying to erase her thoughts like an etch-a-sketch.

Her cell phone rang, she sighed once more and got up to answer it.

"Hello?" she greeted without having checked the caller I.D.

"_Hey beautiful",_ Tommy's voice drawled.

"Hey," she said curtly, she had wanted to yell at him and demand his whereabouts upon realizing it was him, but she thought better.

"_Come meet me," _He mumbled, she could hear him smiling as he spoke.

"What?" She asked, somewhat surprised. Then again, maybe she'd heard him wrong; it was kind of hard to hear him. "Where are you?" She added, noticing the loud background noise that rumbled.

"_I'm here. Come here, meet me here,"_ he sang out as foreign voices rang out in a cheer.

"What's wrong with you? You sound drunk!" She chided.

"_Nope, you're not here. I want to see you, please? Come here?"_ He asked, on the verge of whining. Kimberly grimaced as she shook her head. He was drunk. Now she'd _have_ to go and meet up with him.

"Fine. Where are you?" She directed dryly. Kimberly pressed her phone closer to her ear, and scoffed. She could hear Tommy talking to someone else at the bar.

"_She's coming! You knew it would work! She said yes! She's gonna marry me ya know! Yep, she said yes and she's gonna marry me and we're gonna be married and she said she'd come over!"_

"Tommy?" Kimberly said sharply into the phone, trying to retrieve his attention, "Tommy? TOMMY!"

"_Kimberly? Where are you?"_ He asked pathetically, somehow having forgotten he was still on the phone and had _called her._

"I'm at home. Where are you?" She asked slowly. A lot of good it did her if she didn't know which bar he was at.

"_Gladstone's,"_ he slurred merrily, _"Hurry!"_

"Okay, I'll be—" He hung up. Kimberly snapped her mouth shut with a groan and went to grab her purse.

_March 8__th__, 2008_

_9:02pm_

_Gladstone's_

Kimberly sighed as she walked into the din of the bar. A forest of bodies crowded at every corner, pool table, booth, you name it. She scanned the premises anxiously, wondering where the hell Tommy had ventured to.

She approached the bar and stepped up onto a stool, swallowing tightly as a few of the random male patrons eyed her surreptitiously. A heavyset, masculine woman came striding over, handing off a foaming bottle to a man before casting Kim a kind smile.

"What can I do for ya?" The woman asked.

"I'm actually looking for my boy—fiancé," Kimberly stuttered, she'd have to get used to saying the 'f' word.

"Your boy-fiancé huh?" The bartender chuckled as she shook her head, "You're more than welcome to look around, girly."

"Well, he's tall, about six feet; umm…dark hair, dark eyes…" Kim called after the woman as the bartender returned her attention to another customer.

"You Kimberly?" Asked a man three stools down from her.

She snapped her head to regard the gentleman and nodded furiously.

"Yes! Have you seen my fiancé?" She repeated loudly.

The man gave her a chuckle and pointed to the restrooms just as Tommy came stumbling out. Kimberly looked back in the direction he'd pointed and rolled her eyes as she hopped off the stool and made her way toward Tommy.

"Kimberly!" He greeted mirthfully as she stood before him.

"Have you been here all day?" She asked in awe, not having bothered to reach out and touch him quite yet.

He ran his hand absently through his hair and gave her a lopsided grin, "Only since I left," he giggled as he gave her a limp and playful shove.

Kimberly stepped back as he swatted her and bit her lip. "Well, I'm here now, so let's go home," she said with a sigh.

"No,no, no," he quickly stopped her, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her up to the bar, "Have a drink with me? Please? One drink? Please?"

She glared at him in amazement, rambling on, not giving her a chance for rebuttal.

The bartender came back their way and nodded in recognition at the two of them.

"Oh, this is your fiancé?" The butch woman asked Kim.

"Yeah, I found him!" Kim snickered.

"Good thing. I was just about to cut him off," the woman explained.

"Me too," Kimberly bitterly doled out, nodding in appreciation to the woman behind the counter before tugging on Tommy's shirt. "Let's go."

"Cut me off? No! I'm good. I'm good. One more! Denise! One more, please? Just…for Kimberly! For my beautiful! One, just!" Tommy groveled.

"Tommy, I'm really fine," Kim started as Denise shook her head and cocked her head toward Kimberly.

"What'll it be, sweetheart?"

Kim knew she'd have to order something to appease Tommy, and she was keeping Denise from her job the longer she dawdled. "Amaretto Sour," she said quickly.

Denise nodded and proceeded to mix the cocktail. Tommy grinned happily as he swung Kim's left arm in his hand. Trying to fight the impulse to punch him as she awkwardly reached for her wallet inside her purse with her right hand.

"Don't worry about it," Denise told her, setting the drink down with a napkin. "Just get him home once you're done."

Kimberly smiled gratefully at the woman and drew her glass nearer to her, squeezing Tommy's hand to stop him from swinging her arm. He ceased and leaned into her as she led them away from the bar, hoping to find a table for the time being.

Seeing none, she pulled them over to the edge of the crowded dance floor and held onto his hand as she took a tentative sip of the tart and chalky liquid.

Kim puckered slightly as the tonic ran down her throat, to which Tommy smiled and lowered his head to steal a sip through the straw.

She was about to protest when he came back up and stuck his tongue out in a grimace.

"That's sour!" He puffed, shaking his head.

Kimberly managed a tiny giggle at his reaction and took another sip, absently finding the straw with her mouth as she scanned the dance floor and watched the fleeting jubilance as the quirky music invited perfect strangers to bop together.

Suddenly, Kimberly caught a few lyrics as she stole a quick glance at Tommy, who still had a hold of her hand, his eyes closed as he swayed ineffectually slow to the upbeat tempo.

_  
Yeah you make me merry make me very very happy  
But you obviously, you didn't want to stick around_

_So I learnt from you  
Do do do da do do do do do da do do do do do da do  
So I learnt form you  
Do do do da do do do do do da do do do do do da do_

_I can be alone, yeah  
I can watch a sunset on my own  
I can be alone, yeah  
I can watch a sunset on my own  
I can be alone  
I can watch a sunset on my own_

_Sitting in restaurants  
Thought we were so grown up  
But I know now that we were not the people  
That we turned out to be_

Despite it's cheerful backbeat, the song had left Kimberly morose as the song began to fade out. She finished off her drink and made a move to set the empty glass down on a nearby table as the next song filtered in. At her slight movement, Tommy's eyes shot open and he watched her curiously as she dragged him behind her.

She was ready to leave, though at the sound of the next song Tommy turned to her and clipped her nose playfully with his finger. She winced and brushed his hand away.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked him impatiently.

"Dance with me," he said with a crooked smile.

"No, Tommy I really just want—"

In his obvious inebriation he'd taken her negative answer for an affirmation, and she felt herself being pulled onto the dance floor, knocking into a cavalcade of sweaty bodies before settling into their own square, forced very close together.

Kimberly stood limply in Tommy's grasp as he held her at the waist, though he was using her as a stabilizer more than attempting to hold her.

He swayed clumsily as Kim remained embarrassed and annoyed until the song's intro finally broke and the lyrics began.

_We're no strangers to love  
You know the rules and so do I  
A full commitment__'s what I'm thinking of  
You wouldn't get this from any other guy__  
_

"Oh my god," Kimberly breathed as she smacked her hand to her forehead and shook her head in giddy foolishness as she recognized the song. Suddenly, Tommy laced his fingers through her own and pulled back at arm's length and started serenading her.

"I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling. Gotta make you understand," He cried out.

Kimberly had to laugh, his singing was worse than his dancing. At seeing her laugh, Tommy tugged at her arms and pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her waist once again. They weren't swaying to the music; they weren't even really dancing, just kind of shuffling back and forth over the same spot. Kimberly flung her head back as peels of laughter escaped her lips and Tommy spun her around. Despite herself, Kimberly joined in his singing as the chorus arrived.

_Never gonna give you up  
Never gonna let you down  
Never gonna run around and desert you  
Never gonna make you cry  
Never gonna say goodbye  
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you__'ve know each other for so long  
Your hearts been aching  
But you're too shy to say it  
Inside we both know what's been going on  
We know the game and were gonna play it_

_And if you ask me how I'm feeling  
Don't tell me you're too blind to see_

_Give you up. give you up  
Give you up, give you up_

"_Never gonna give, Never gonna give," Tommy rang out._

"_Give you up," Kimberly echoed blithely._

_  
__"Never gonna give, Never gonna give," Tommy repeated as the song faded out._

They received a few parting chuckles from the couples that had been near them on the floor and had joined in. As they pulled away from the crowd, Tommy released Kimberly's hand and started walking off shakily.

"Whoa, where are you going?" She caught him, grabbing the hem of his shirt.

"I have to pee," he whispered into her ear sloppily. She swatted the tickling sensation as he kissed his finger then rested it on her lips before stumbling to the men's room.

She exhaled with a shake of her head and stood there for a moment before resigning to her fate and mosied back up to the bar.

"Denise!" Kim called out, leaning over the railing.

The woman turned and held her hand up to indicate she'd be right there. Kimberly nodded and clicked her tongue while she waited, glancing over her shoulder to see if Tommy was headed back yet.

Denise finally approached her with a wry grin on her face, "You want another one?"

"While I'm here," Kimberly lingered with a shrug. Denise smirked and shook her head, prepping another Amaretto Sour for her.

"Oh, can I get two shots of whiskey, too?" Kimberly added.

Denise threw Kim a cautionary look as Kim smiled, "Don't worry they're all for me," Kim assured her.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Denise said with a carefully raised eyebrow as she set the three drinks down in front of her. "Twelve bucks."

"Yes sir," Kim said with a nod.

Denise chuckled as Kim handed her a twenty, "Keep it," Kim waved as she carefully grabbed all three glasses between her fingers.

Denise nodded and tipped her head as Kimberly took off in search of a table. Once she found one, she set her purse down beneath her seat and took the first shot glass into her hands. Steadying her breath, she raised the glass and knocked the brown liquid back.

"Oh!" Kimberly cried as the burning sensation enraptured her. She exhaled and shivered, grabbing her fruity concoction in exchange as she set the empty shot down.

Tommy reappeared and looked around helplessly for Kimberly before she saw him and flagged him down. He greedily met her eyes and rushed toward the table.

"What'd you get?" He asked happily as he hovered over her seat.

"Nothing for you," she scolded, ripping away the whiskey shot that he threatened to grab.

"Oh, come on. I'm thirsty!" He whined.

Kimberly gave him a threatening look as he squatted beside her chair. For once at eye level, Tommy wrapped his arm lazily around Kimberly's neck and drew her in for a kiss.

Her right hand left the glass on the table and took Tommy's head in her hands as their lips met. His breath was heady and singed her throat from his day long consumption.

As they began to part, Tommy's left arm left her neck and right as she pulled away he stood up, grabbing the shot on his way and downing it in seconds.

"Tommy!" She scolded, "You've had enough! You wanna get kicked out?"

"Maybe…nah, I wouldn't. I'm awesome!" He said with a smirk. Kimberly glared at him and shook her head, reaching for a sip of her cocktail.

"Kim, I'm so glad you came," he mumbled, bending over and hugging her head as she attempted to take a sip of her drink.

Practically choking, she patted his arm and released his grasp before setting her glass down.

"I guess we'll talk about what happened tomorrow, huh?" She asked him as he just stood above her, slightly wavering with his eyes shut. "Tommy?"

His eyes shot open and he smiled down on her once again. A fairly slow song came on and he immediately tugged at her arm and pulled her up to the dance floor.

"Tommy, I think you need to sit down," she told him but he merely hushed her with his lips and leaned into her, holding her firmly about the waist as he bent down to rest his head on her shoulder.

'Let's just hold this," he mumbled incoherently, "Dance here like this," he said.

Kimberly didn't know if he was giving a directive to follow him or if he was merely rambling but she tried to stay in rhythm with him as the song flooded the speakers.

_You could say I lost my faith in science and progress  
You could say I lost my belief in the holy church  
You could say I lost my sense of direction  
You could say all of this and worse but_

_If I ever lose my faith in you  
There'd be nothing left for me to do_

Kimberly shut her eyes as Tommy simply held her and nuzzled her neck, swaying back and forth. Her eyes becoming misty as the chorus' moral kept echoing over and over.

_If I ever lose my faith in you_

_If I ever lose my faith in you _

_If I ever lose my faith in you _

_If I ever lose my faith in you  
There'd be nothing left for me to do  
_

Kimberly's melancholy had not the chance to linger as the next song came blasting right on the somber one's tail.

As some hard techno beat pulsated through the room, Kimberly shook off her malaise and patted Tommy's back as she started to stir beneath him. He didn't budge.

'Tommy?" She yelled over the din. He still did not budge. Kimberly unraveled herself from his hold and pushed him back to regard his face, mouth agape and eyes closed.

"Tommy?" She yelled again, annoyed.

"He okay?" A guy beside her asked loudly. Kim turned to face the stranger and gave him a tight smile.

"Yeah, I think he fell asleep!" She tried to laugh it off as she shrugged and feigned amusement before slumping Tommy's limp arm over her shoulder and dragging him off the dance floor.

Knocking into person after person, apologizing profusely, Kimberly dropped Tommy into the chair at their table and reached for her purse before slinging it over shoulder and then returned him back onto her once again.

With some unprompted but nevertheless appreciated help from a random couple, Kimberly managed to get Tommy into her black sedan. Furious and frustrated, Kimberly shut the passenger side door and rounded the front of the car to her seat.

"You're unbelievable," she muttered as she pulled out of the parking lot.

Once she'd arrived at her place, she glanced at her radio, noticing the time. Almost eleven thirty. Wow had she'd missed the evening fly by. Unbuckling her seat belt, she noticed Tommy had barely budged an inch since getting him into the car. Shaking her head, she climbed out of the vehicle and went around his side. Opening the door and crawling over him to release his seatbelt before giving him a quick shake.

"Tommy," she whispered, "Tommy, we're home."

He stirred not. Kimberly cleared her throat and gave his cheek a playful smack, "Tommy! Tommy wake up! Come on handsome, I don't want to drag you inside!"

She chuckled lightly to herself before standing back up and regarding him. "Fine. Stay in the car!" She jokingly threatened.

Still nothing. Kimberly's eyes narrowed in annoyed concern as she knelt down once more and shook his arm. When she still received no response, her hand went for his eyelid, peeling it back.

The lid snapped shut once more but Tommy remained still. She swallowed with difficulty as her hand began to tremble, holding it up to his forehead. It was shockingly cold and clammy.

"No,no,no," she whimpered as she then went for his pulse. Nothing.

"No!" She yelled in fury as she checked it again. Tears fell without warning as she danced around for a moment, unsure what to do.

Knowing Annie was out with her friends before Spring Break, the young girl would push her curfew until the very last minute. She didn't want to be gone when Annie returned. But she needed to get Tommy to the emergency room. She didn't know what to do, his he wasn't breathing! She thought of calling for an ambulance, but how long would that take?

She cried some more in that moment of indecision, finally she decided to pull him out of the car and drag him inside. She would revive him. She had to.

Kicking the door shut with her foot, she pulled Tommy's deadweight inside and dropped him down onto the couch. She flung her purse off and immediately went for his mouth, pinching his nose as she proceeded to administer CPR.

She blew the air into his mouth a few times before slamming her palms against his chest.

"Come on, Tommy!" She yelled in anger and fear, "Come on!"

Again her hands slammed down onto his chest, pounding furiously before she started simply punching him with her fists, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Damn it, Tommy! Come on!" She cried.

This was not happening. This was not real. She scurried over to the phone and dialed 911.

She couldn't even hear what she was telling them, she barely remembered her address as she hung up the phone violently and ran back to Tommy's side.

"Hold on, baby," she told him quietly, "Please, damn it. Just, please, hold on."

Kim was shaking as she stroked his lifeless, cold face and placed an unsteady kiss on his lips. She took her hands and started rubbing his arms vigorously, as if the friction would somehow revive him.

"Damn it, this is not happening!" She screamed.

The ambulance came in roughly ten minutes, which was a miracle by Kimberly's estimation. Though the first person through the door was not a technician, but Annie.

The young girl burst through the door in a panic as Kimberly stood up abruptly and ran for her daughter.

Three EMT's followed as Kimberly released her daughter's embrace and directed them over to Tommy.

"He drank too much, I thought he passed out but he hasn't moved. He's cold and he's not breathing," Kimberly rattled off as one of the technicians nodded and silently transferred Tommy's body onto the stretcher with another assistant.

"Is this your daughter?" One of the technicians asked Kim. Kim nodded weakly as the woman bent down and shook Annie's hand.

"Scary night, huh?" She asked dryly.

Annie snickered disgustedly and Kimberly wrapped an arm around the girl.

"Would you like to ride in the ambulance or follow?" the woman asked.

"We'll ride with you," Kimberly said without pause.

The woman nodded and gestured for the door, shutting it behind them.

_March 9__th__, 2009_

_12:58am_

_Angel Grove Memorial Hospital_

Annie was curled up asleep in a row of three chairs as Kimberly numbly stared at her reflection through the glass door of Tommy's Room. The curtains drawn, she could only see the pale blue fabric covering the glass as she blinked back tears.

This wasn't happening. This just wasn't happening. Kimberly had known Tommy was drunk, but she had never guessed he'd had that much. She hadn't taken him for someone who got drunk like that. How he was talking and behaving at the bar, while annoying was the furthest she'd ever seen him gone but he was still moving and talking!

They'd arrived at the hospital around midnight, and it had been almost an hour. Despite Annie's protests, Kim had allowed the girl to finally rest her eyes. At the thought, Kimberly glanced back at her daughter and wandered over.

She knelt beside her and kissed her forehead, brushing away fallen strands of hair from her face.

Everything felt absurd and surreal and unfair at this moment. Kimberly was terrified and infuriated. If Tommy lived through this he was going to get an earful. Kim suddenly shuddered at the alternative.

"That's not an option," she said to herself as she stood up once again and crossed back to the door.

There was a scuttle, like there always is. Or at least, like there had been the time she was rolled into ICU after falling off the balance beam. Oh how she wished Tommy's present condition was simply from an evil spell. She laughed through her tears at the bitter irony.

As if there Ranger catastrophes paled in comparison to life's seemingly mundane happenings.

Her head fell into her hands and her sobs resurged with newfound vigor. She shook her head, feeling the guilt pool over her. If she hadn't told him to leave, he'd never gone to the bar. If she hadn't misjudged his condition and indulged in a few drinks herself. If she'd only stopped to breathe for a moment and talked to him, she wouldn't have carried her stress alongside her. She and Tommy could have avoided their month long tirade and none of this would have happened.

The door opened a few minutes later. Kimberly snapped her head up abruptly and stared at the doctor, saying nothing but expecting an answer.

"Mrs. Oliver?" The Doctor asked.

Kimberly bit back the nausea that overwhelmed her as she shook her head to correct the man.

"Miss Hart," she stammered, "I'm his fiancée."

The doctor gave her an apologetic smile and nodded, referring to his clipboard.

"He's breathing."

Thank god that was the first bit of news! Kimberly nearly stopped breathing herself upon hearing the information. She coughed as her tears mixed with her relieved sigh and she wiped her face sloppily with the back of her hand.

"Can I see him?" She asked urgently.

"In just a moment, yes. The nurses are still finishing up. He's been hooked up to an IV for the moment, he's pretty dehydrated; between the alcohol and the stomach pump. But he's going to be okay. Acute alcohol poisoning, it can get serious quicker than you realize. Do you have a moment to answer a few questions? I promise I'll let you see him as soon as they're done."

Kimberly nodded reluctantly as she glanced back at the door while the doctor led them to a private alcove.

"Just a few routine questions, nothing to worry about," the doctor assured her. "How old is Mr. Oliver?"

"Thirty," she said numbly.

"Height?"

"Six foot."

"Weight?"

"Umm," Kimberly bit her lip. She shrugged, "I don't…"

"We'll say two hundred for now, until he's back on his feet again," the man said with a nod.

"Has Mr. Oliver ever been brought in for alcohol poisoning before?"

Kimberly stared at the man incredulously before shaking her head, "No! No," she repeated nervously.

The doctor checked off another secret box on his sheet, "How often does Mr. Oliver drink?"

Kimberly furrowed her brow and rubbed her forehead, "Umm, occasionally. I mean, umm…like barely occasionally. Like, maybe umm, a beer or two sometimes. Wine with dinner, champagne on New Year's…"

"Socially," the doctor offered, sensing Kim's nervousness.

"I guess. I mean, less than socially. Not a lot, let's put it that way," Kim continued.

The doctor chuckled and scrolled down the page, "This was quite a shock to you then, yes? His condition this evening?"

Kimberly nodded, "Yes," she whispered.

"When and where did you find him?"

"Umm, we were at a bar," Kim started.

"So you were with him and watched his intoxication escalate?"

"No, not exactly. Umm, he called me from the bar and asked me to join him so I did. He was already…tipsy when I got there."

"Uh huh, and did you notice any signs of his high blood-alcohol level when you were with him?"

"I'm sorry?" She blinked, she misunderstood.

"Was he already showing signs that he may have alcohol poisoning?"

"I don't really know the signs…umm, I'm not…I drove us home cause I thought he'd fallen asleep and that's when I realized he wasn't breathing," she confessed quietly.

The doctor pursed his lips to consider all the information before nodding and giving Kim a smile before standing up and extending his hand.

"Thank you Miss Hart. Let me just pop back in real quick to see where they're at and then you can go in and see your fiancé, okay?"

"Thank you," she replied with a feeble nod.

After what seemed liked an eternity, the door slowly crept open once again and the doctor emerged, the ICU nurses right behind him.

"Miss Hart, you can see him now," one nurse told her kindly.

Kimberly nodded and headed for the room, turning back to catch the doctor quickly.

"Umm, when can he leave?" She asked anxiously.

"I'd say by morning. Once his fluids are replenished and he's slept off the headache he's undoubtedly going to have, he'll be right as rain."

"Thank you again," Kimberly practically collapsed before turning back to enter the room.

Her tears, that she thought would have exhausted, almost resurfaced when her eyes fell onto Tommy. He looked miserable, still a bit peaked and run down.

She pulled up a chair and sat down, reaching for his hand as she bent down to kiss it.

His hands were still a bit clammy, but they were no longer ice cold. She immediately ran a gentle hand across his face and felt the warmth returning there too. Unable to resist, her fingers found the pocket alongside his neck and pressed against it. She smiled through her threatening tears as she felt the murmur of his heartbeat once again.

"You're such a shit, you know that right?" She said with a slight air of cheek behind it. She wanted to laugh and smile, knowing he was alright. She wanted to remind him of his shenanigans before he'd passed out.

"Never gonna give you up," she sang in a whisper, laughing to herself as she remembered him belting the ridiculous tune a few hours prior.

She grabbed his hand once again and squeezed, the giant plastic pouch that ran into his arm staring back at her, reminding her of this incident's ramifications.

Sure, it all seemed a bit frivolous now, knowing he was okay. But the terror Kimberly had experience in a mere hour was enough to banish her heart. If something else had happened, if things had suddenly shifted and the evening had taken even the slightest of turns, that'd be it. She'd surely call it quits. She had thought she was miserable when her and Tommy weren't speaking, knowing he was perfectly alive and well. She'd said goodbye to too many people before she was even thirty. She didn't even want to think about what could have happened.

Inexplicably, she started humming, a song of old she used to listen to popped into her head. All its lyrics weren't relevant, but it felt apropos. She cupped the side of Tommy's face and stroked it lightly as she began to softly recite the words.

_You crawled into my bed that night _

_like some sort of giant insect  
And I found myself spellbound at the sight of you  
Beautiful and grotesque and all the rest of that bug stuff  
Bluffing your way into my mouth,  
Behind my teeth, reaching for my scars.  
That night we got kicked out of two bars and laughed our way home._

That night you leaned over and threw up into your hair.  
And I held you there thinking

_I would offer you my pulse  
If I thought it would be useful.  
I would give you my breath _

_except the problem with death  
Is we have some hundred years _

_and then they can build buildings on our only bones.  
A hundred years _

_and then your grave is not your own.  
We lie in our beds and in our graves _

_unable to save ourselves from the quaint tragedies we invent,  
And undo from the stupid circumstances we slalom through.  
And I realized that night _

_that the hall light which seemed so bright when you turned it on_

_is nothing compared to the dawn,  
Which is nothing compared to the light _

_which seeps from you while you're sleeping _

_cocooned in my room beautiful and grotesque, _

_Resting.  
That night we got kicked out of two bars and laughed our way home _

_I thought, I would offer you my pulse.  
I would give you my breath.  
I would offer you my pulse_

_I would give you my breath.  
I would offer you my pulse_

_I would give you my breath.  
I would offer you my pulse_

_I would give you my breath.  
I would offer you my pulse_

_I would give you my breath.  
I would offer you my pulse_

_I would give you my breath.  
I would offer you my pulse_

Kimberly's heart strangled her voice as she repeated the final two lines like a mantra, tears falling uncontrollably as she continued to softly stroke the side of Tommy's face.

_**AN: Credit to the songs used in this chapter; Merry Happy by Kate Nash, Never Gonna Give you up by Rick Astley (sorry for unintentionally rick-rolling the chapter), If I Ever Lose My Faith in You by Sting and Pulse by Ani Difranco**_.


	37. Untouchable Face

_**Pulse**_

_**AN: Thank you to all who reviewed. That was a hard chapter to write. This next one's got a bit of everything. Please read and review! Enjoy!**_

_**Chapter 37**_

_**Untouchable Face**_

_March 9__th__, 2008_

_1:30pm_

_Kimberly's House_

Annie had been instructed to make some lunch before she and her mom went dress shopping for the wedding. Initially her task had been to make breakfast, but since the girls' day had been slightly delayed, she was now making sandwiches.

Kimberly padded into the kitchen and saw her daughter cleaning up the mess from the cancelled meal the night before.

"Oh baby girl, I'm sorry!" Kim said as she shook her head and slid over to take the Ziploc bag out her the girl's hands. "I completely forgot to clean this all up."

Annie managed a giggle as her mom finished helping her clear away the refuse.

"How was dinner?" Annie asked with a sideways glance. She wanted to ask about her dad but thought it better to ease into that one.

Kimberly snickered as she washed her hands, "I cancelled it," she said with a shrug.

"Oh. Wait, why? Cause you and dad got into that fight?"

Kimberly inhaled sharply but smiled at the girl, "Yeah, partly. I was just a little spent at that point and didn't want to entertain anybody," Kim confessed quietly.

"How's he doing?" Annie finally ventured.

Kimberly nodded slowly, "He's sleeping. He was still pretty out of it when we left the hospital. You were still asleep," She finished, smiling at the girl.

"You could have woken me up," Annie told her seriously.

"I didn't want to. It's okay. I'm just glad you were there. You didn't need to see him like that," Kimberly told her, extending a consoling hand to Annie's shoulder.

Annie nodded solemnly. She had only seen him briefly inside the ambulance, but the image had been quickly erased. She remembered following Kim down the stark hallway through the emergency room and ended up falling asleep on some chairs while they waited. She couldn't even recall having left the hospital. But she supposed it was as Kim said, better for her to not have seen her dad in that condition.

"Are _you_ okay?" Annie squeaked out.

Kimberly wiped down the counter absently and looked up to face the girl.

"What?" she mumbled. She hadn't noticed Annie staring at her.

"How are you doing?" Annie asked again. She may not have been privy to her father's state of being, but she'd certainly seen her mother's. Annie had been through a lot with the woman in her short twelve years; more than perhaps she should have. But Annie had always been too young to exclude from a lot of the major happenings that had occurred in the last decade. Though she was really only just beginning to understand what her mother's past troubles had meant; she was glad to have been there for them. Being around things way beyond her maturity level had given Annie a sense of compassion unshared by her peers. And while sometimes daunting, she was grateful.

It had been less than a year since she'd met her father, but how much they'd all grown and changed since that fateful September day. Seeing where she was now, who she was; seeing her parents together again after so many years of wanting; she wouldn't have changed it for the world. She had finally come to enjoy Tommy; not only as her father, but as a person. She saw where her genes broke away from Kimberly's and ran smack into his. She looked more like him, for starters. Her complexion was more like his; her hair was darker and wavier. Her nose was longer and thicker, somewhat to her chagrin. She had always wished she could have her mom's nose. It fit her petite face better. That was definitely where she belonged to Kim. Annie was small like her mom, though at the moment, a bit gawkier and lankier like her father but still short.

Annie smiled wistfully as she compared her own attributes to her parent's. It never got old; perhaps because there was still so much yet to discover.

The girl finished cutting the sandwiches in half as Kimberly fished out a couple water bottles from the fridge. Annie then crossed to a drawer and took out some napkins.

"I was really scared," Annie answered her own question, saving Kimberly from responding first.

"Uh huh," came Kimberly's quick and short reply, setting the food on the table. "Go ahead and start eating. I'm going to check on Tommy."

Annie bit her lip but nodded as she watched her mom bring half a sandwich and water toward the bedroom.

Kimberly entered the room quietly and set the food down on the bedside table, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. Tommy was fast asleep, though he still didn't look very comfortable. The hospital had provided a ride for them back to her house, and she'd have to wait until Tommy was feeling better before they could retrieve his jeep from the bar.

She smiled sadly and brushed his forehead lightly. They had to wheel him out into the cab once he was released early this morning. Thankfully, they'd managed to re-hydrate him back to a normal state of being. Though just as the doctor had warned her he would; he'd had a terrible headache. She asked the doctor if pain relievers were okay to administer; he'd recommended lots of water until he was back to full strength. If his headache persisted, then aspirin would be fine. So, for the moment, water and some bland food was all he received.

Kimberly didn't know how she was still standing. Last night and this morning had taken so much out of her. She'd barely slept once she got Tommy into bed, stripping him down to his boxers and running a cold washcloth over his head for awhile. She remembered lying in bed next to him, watching him. She watched him fervently, grateful to see his chest heaving up and down as the reminder of life blew in and out of his lungs.

"Annie and I are going to get out of the house for a bit, okay?" She said softly, still running her hands along his face. "You promise me you'll stay in bed, okay?"

Tommy stirred slightly, his brow furrowed in pain as his headache undoubtedly throbbed.

Kimberly bit her lip and shook her head. The anger she'd felt at one point last night began to resurface as she sat there, now knowing he was safe.

She recalled the evening at the hotel in Reefside. She'd been so enraged and scared and sad. She nearly drank her own weight in booze from the mini-bar. She laughed briefly, remembering how Tommy had shown up at her door and ending up taking care of her after she'd puked up everything.

"Don't think this means we're even now," she whispered, smiling half heartedly. "You don't get to scare me like this ever again, you got that?" She continued to breathe sad but playful chides at him as he slept.

She bent down and kissed his cheek before sitting back up and exiting the room.

Annie was finished eating and sitting in the living room watching T.V. as she waited patiently for Kim's return.

"How is he?" Annie asked again.

"Sleeping," Kim said with a sigh. "You ready to go?" she added, grabbing her purse from the table.

"Aren't you gonna eat? There's still half a sandwich in there," Annie asked as she brushed herself off to stand.

"I'll eat it on the way. Come on, let's get going," she told her simply, quickly grabbing the sandwich and napkin as they headed out the door.

_March 9__th__, 2008_

_3:45pm_

_Angel Grove Galleria_

Zack and Aisha would be in town on the 12th, with the wedding on the 15th. Kimberly would have certainly liked to have already bought a dress to wear for the event but, Tommy had actually talked her into waiting.

Seeing as she was not part of the wedding party, still a sore spot, Kimberly agreed that last minute shopping wouldn't greatly deter her. She thought while she was here, she'd look around for Tommy too.

The only tux he had was the one he wore to Trini's funeral. And sure he had some nice dress clothes, but Kimberly had reminded him it was a spring wedding, which meant a different color palette.

The women were grateful for the distraction. Splitting up and wandering around the mall, looking for something suitable but practical.

Annie had found something almost immediately, though she'd have to find shoes for it. That was the one thing she dreaded. She hated heels and all those crazy, strapped sandals with huge soles and sparkles. Call it her tomboy instinct, despite her love for shopping, Annie wished she could just wear her converse with the dress.

"Excuse me? Converse? With your dress? Well, Ann, why not just wear your combat boots while you're at it!" Kimberly glared into space as she listened to her daughter's frantic voice over her cell phone.

"_But all the nice shoes have heels! I don't know how to walk in those! You wore combat boots with dresses all the time!"_ Annie whined back.

"When I was sixteen!" Kimberly reminded her.

"_So! Aren't I too young for heels anyway?"_ Annie chose to say, appealing to her mother's more protective sensibility.

"You're not getting out of wearing nice shoes, Miss Thing!" Kimberly scolded, "Find some ballet flats or something. They're out there, I see girls wearing them all the time."

Annie groaned into the phone, _"Fine."_

"If you still can't find anything, we'll figure something out. Meet me in a half hour at the food court, okay?"

"_Okay,"_ Annie grumbled.

"Love you,"

"_Love you too,"_ the girl said with a roll of her eyes as she snapped her phone shut.

Kimberly shut her phone and shook her head with a laugh. Why had she been so drawn to those clobbering, stacked boots with her dainty Laura Ashley shifts, anyway?

"The nineties," she said with a sigh, "I'm never gonna live that down."

With another giggle, Kimberly continued her browsing, rounding the corner toward another store when she was suddenly halted in her stead.

Standing in front of some kitschy, innocuous store; stood Katherine with some guy. The man's back was to Kimberly, but she definitely knew it wasn't Billy. He had short dark hair and a black leather jacket on, obstructing his build.

Kimberly stared wide eyed as she slowly crept toward the side of the storefront nearest her, trying to remain inconspicuous as she watched.

"That must be the guy!" She whispered to herself, nodding politely to a woman who gave her a strange look as she passed.

Her first instinct was to call Tommy, then Billy. Neither was appropriate.

"I'll call Jason!" She said, unfolding her cell phone once more and dialing the number quickly, keeping one eye on Katherine and her accomplice.

From across the way, Kimberly heard a distant but distinctly familiar ring tone as she watched in horror. The man with his back to her was reaching into his pocket.

"No way!" Kimberly breathed, still crouched around an outside display rack.

"_Hello?"_ Came her friend's familiar voice.

Kimberly snuck a fearful peak at the man with Katherine as she gasped. He was talking on his cell phone.

"_Hello? Kim?"_ Jason said.

"Hey…" she stammered, quickly ducking into the store and peering at him through the obscured window display.

"_What's up? You okay?"_ Jason asked her innocently.

_How could he be so calm?_ Kimberly feigned a retching sound as she answered him as brightly as she could.

"I'm fine," she lied, "Just wanted to see how you were. Tommy was in the hospital last night for alcohol poisoning but he's fine now," she relayed, much more cheerfully than she meant to. She wasn't really paying attention to what she'd been telling him; too stunned at spying on him while she spoke.

"_What?"_ Jason said worriedly, _"Kim, oh my God! What happened? Is everything okay? Where are you now? Do you want me to come down there?"_

Kimberly's eyes went wide as his offer and concern were spoke, "Umm, no! Really, everything's fine now. Just had a little scare, that's all. Really, we're all okay," She repeated vehemently when suddenly an idea struck her.

"I mean, I wouldn't want you to have to drive all the way from Reefside just to check up on me. Everything's fine," She said carefully, eyeing him from afar as she baited him over the phone.

"_Yeah, I guess that's true. It'd take me a few hours to get down there anyway. But you're sure you're okay?"_ he agreed unknowingly.

Kimberly's eyes burned into the back of his head as she glared across the mall.

"Yes, absolutely. Sorry about all the craziness these past few weeks. I guess I'm just excited about Tanya and Adam ya know?" Kimberly feigned amusement and laughed nervously.

"_Yeah, I'm sorry too. I know it's been a weird month. But hey, it'll all be worth it come Saturday, right? Seeing two of our closest friends, getting married?"_

"Uh huh," she said absently as the man and Katherine locked their hands together and started walking away from the store.

"_Well, I should get going. I've got a lot of work to finish up,"_ Jason told her.

"Right, right. Totally, me too. Okay. See you in a few days," she mumbled, clicking her phone shut.

The man shut his phone and slipped it back into his pocket as Kimberly watched his figure slip into the crowd.

"Un-fucking-believable," she muttered as she came out of the store. She had to find Annie. She didn't want to risk running into Jason and Katherine. "Shit."

_March 9__th__, 2008_

_5:30pm_

_Kimberly's House_

Annie cheerfully bounded to her bedroom once they returned home, holding her findings proudly. She'd bought a bright green baby doll tank dress and some crazy striped earrings to go with it. Triumphantly she'd managed to find a pair of athletic Mary Janes; rubber soled and flat with criss-crossing straps all along the vamp. Practical yet dainty. She couldn't be more pleased with herself.

Kimberly, while glad she'd managed to find an outfit, couldn't care less anymore. She couldn't believe what she'd witness that day. On the heels of Tommy's incident; which she knew Jason had been previously unaware of; now sent her stress level to a new height. She was being selfish, true, but oh how she wished Jason had picked another week to have an affair with Katherine.

"Son of a bitch," she muttered to herself as she approached her own bedroom. She wanted to tell somebody, she needed to. Not only for redemption but for consolation.

She opened the door, chirping in surprise as she saw Tommy coming out of the bathroom, the clock radio playing soft rock in the background.

"You're up!" She said wildly.

"Hey," he said glumly, "Where were you?"

"Shopping," she said, indicating her purchases before she set them on the floor and strode over to him.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, placing a hand on his forehead.

"Better. Still kind of out of it," he told her sheepishly.

Kimberly nodded and gave him a tight smile. She wanted to unload, if just on principle. They had still been in an argument before everything went down, and even because of the incident, she'd been angry and hadn't yet found closure.

"I'm just glad you're okay," she told him seriously.

Tommy nodded and cleared his throat. He wanted to apologize, but he felt awkward bringing it up. Their fight felt pointless now, but he knew he deserved some kind of lashing.

"Kim, I'm so sorry," he began slowly.

"You should be," she said gently, though her rage was simmering.

"I know. I'm sorry about what I said yesterday, before I left. I thought I was being helpful by trying to talk you through your stress and whatnot but, I guess I just provoked you."

"Yeah, you did. I know you thought I should talk it out but, the truth is, I can't explain why I've been so stressed this past month. I guess I'm just anxious."

"Anxious? About what?"

"Everything. My life, our life, being together. Seeing our friends getting married is so wonderful but so bizarre ya know? And now we're engaged and once everyone finds out it's gonna be all eyes on us at all times and the fight with Jason was so stupid and then our fight _about_ Jason was stupid and I feel like a total bitch for having even made it into a fight but I just felt like I wasn't being taken seriously. And then we keep fighting and it's like, there's no relief from it, ya know? Like, for every five steps forward we make, we take three steps back and it's just frustrating. And then you go off and get plastered and end up in the fucking hospital with alcohol poisoning and I thought you were dead and I just…everything in my life is like, coming to a head and it's really overwhelming."

Tommy bowed his head as she finished speaking, not knowing what to say.

Kimberly had worked herself into tears and was heaving, her heart pounding against her chest.

"I was out of my mind last night, Tommy," she started again; "I cancelled dinner cause I was too annoyed to deal with people. I took a nap and found the house empty, which reignited my fury. I was mad at you for getting drunk and calling me and being an idiot on the phone and at the bar and then I got mad at myself for not even realizing you'd passed out and then mad at you again for being passed out and having drank that much that you _would_ pass out and then I couldn't revive you and I called the ambulance. It was all so unreal, I barely remember calling 911. I was so terrified of something happening to you I couldn't stand it. I didn't know what to do. I had no control over anything. I literally had to sit back and watch someone else fix you in front of me and I just kept thinking, 'What if he doesn't wake up?' 'Why did he have so much to drink?' 'Did I drive him to this?' 'Is putting up with me that unbearable that getting sloshed is the only way to deal with it?' 'What is wrong with me?' 'What if I waited to long to call 911?' 'What am I gonna say to Annie?'"

"Kim, you can't possibly understand how sorry I am for scaring you like that,"

"I really thought I was gonna lose you last night," she wailed, "Tommy, you stopped breathing! You were frozen! You didn't move at all! I felt like an idiot for not having dragged you out of that bar immediately. I actually sat with you and had a few drinks! Do you even remember any of that? We danced around like idiots and you kept shutting your eyes and I just rolled it off like you were just tired! I don't understand how you could have drunk so much that you actually passed out! Why? Why did you have so much to drink? Am I really that unbearable? And so help me you better say no, mister. Even if it's a lie, I swear to God! What you put me through last night is nigh unforgivable!"

"Kim, I don't know what—" Tommy stammered with a shrug.

"Just—let me yell and scream this out, okay? You owe me."

Tommy nodded and sat down on the bed, his eyes still refusing to meet hers. He knew he had it coming.

"There was a split second after you left yesterday where I thought that maybe getting engaged was a mistake," she began once more.

Tommy shot his head up and gave her a petrified look. She held her hand up to silence any potential protests.

"Like, maybe we've rushed everything. I mean, when you break it down, we've really only been back together for what, three months? After ten years of not being in each other's lives? Are we crazy? Then I remembered that we had a child before we probably should have, why would a preemptive engagement freak me out? And all the fighting, all the stupid, petty arguments we keep getting into. It's like we can't ever find solid ground. There's never just a breezy passage of time for us, why? Don't we deserve that? Don't we deserve a happy fucking ending, _finally?_ We haven't had sex in a month, which is stupid but still weird. And every song that played at the bar last night suddenly had relevance. Like, someone's watching us and teasing us. Then when I finally got to see you in ICU and knew you were gonna be okay, I forgot it. I forgot about all the anxiety I had about us being together, getting engaged to soon, all of it. I just held your hand and stroked your face and thanked God that you weren't taken away from me. I realized that all this bullshit that keeps getting thrown our way is _someone's _divine plan. And if we don't start to thank whoever for each other every day and remember how we even got to this place again, we're gonna lose it all. And I don't want to lose it. I can't lose you. I never want to feel the way I felt last night, ever again. You understand me? It is our job and has _always_ been our job, to save one another from harm. If we can't do that, we don't deserve each other."

Kimberly was panting from having talked and sobbed so much. She stared intently at Tommy as he lifted his head to face her. He was crying, his eyes red and swollen. His mouth hung regretfully.

"Kim," his voice trembled as he spoke, "I can't even begin to apologize for what happened. I've never felt so ashamed or embarrassed. I don't know what to say….I never wanted to imagine my life without you. I can't. Even when we weren't together, I still dreamed of finding my way back to you. And now that I have, I don't want to fuck it up. I've always wanted to protect you and save you. I feel like I've really messed up this time. I'm sorry. I feel like I've let you down. I hate that. I feel like I disappointed you. I can't imagine what I must have put you through last night. I'm pretty disgusted with myself right now. I'm sorry. I'm just…I'm so, so, sorry."

Kimberly nodded and sat next to him on the bed as he leaned into her, wrapping his arms around her waist while his head rested on her chest. She rubbed his back and held him tightly.

"I love you," he sniffled quietly as he squeezed her body. Kim placed her head on top of his and inhaled sharply.

"I love you too," she whimpered.

The next song came on the radio, Kimberly's ears suddenly filtering in the music for the first time since she'd stepped into the room. She smiled through her tears as the same sensation she'd felt at the bar returned. How songs you once glazed over become so utterly relevant you'd think they were written for you; for that moment.

_Our life together, is so precious together  
We have grown, we have grown  
Although our love is still special  
Let's take a chance and fly away somewhere alone__th__, 2008_

It's been too long since we took the time  
No-one's to blame, I know time flies so quickly  
But when I see you darling  
It's like we both are falling in love again  
It'll be just like starting over, starting over

March 12

_12:51pm_

_Kimberly's House_

Kim was pacing. Zack and Aisha were arriving any minute. It would be so wonderful to see them, though the tiniest shred of anxiety crept back into Kimberly as she mulled over the sleeping arrangements in her head, second guessing if they'd be satisfactory.

Annie had diplomatically given up her room while the couple stayed with them, opting for the living room sofa. There was an extra bathroom, which worked out conveniently.

She still hadn't told anyone about Jason and Katherine. She felt torn about the entire situation. Not wanting to gloat, having known it from the start but, not wanting to stir up issues of loyalty right before the wedding. It was a disaster; she was completely stuck between a rock and a hard place. She and Tommy were on the mend, but she didn't feel like confiding in him either, in case the discussion somehow became tainted. She'd let it all pass until the wedding was over.

"Beautiful," Tommy cooed as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, "Breathe, baby. Breathe," he said slowly.

She elbowed him playfully as she spun around to face him. They still hadn't fallen back into their groove again, but they'd managed some great progress the last few days.

"I just want to be a good host," she rationalized.

"You are the best host that ever hosted," he beamed, nuzzling her neck and placing a kiss on her neck.

"The hostess with the mostest?" She joked.

"Should I say you're name three times?" he flirted back.

"Maybe later," she whispered with a wink, slinking her arms around his neck.

Tommy growled into her ear, "Definitely later," he said huskily.

Kimberly shivered as he kissed her neck again. Thankfully, Annie was out with the few friends who'd stayed in town over the break. The girl's request had caught Kim's attention as she recalled how Annie had wanted to go out that Saturday night, because all of her friends would be leaving. But Kim let her have this one. Besides, the poor girl would have to be around a bunch of adults the whole weekend anyway. Might as well

let her escape while she still could. It also allowed for Tommy and Kim to be a bit more openly frisky, storing up more sexual tension that would eventually need to be released.

The doorbell rang. Tommy groaned as he removed himself from Kimberly's neck and swatted her away. She gave him an apologetic smile before straightening herself and answering the door.

"Mama's home!" Aisha cried as she threw herself into Kim's embrace. Tommy stepped up from behind the two women and gave Zack a merry hug as well.

"How's my main man, T-Jo doing?" Zack playfully squawked. Tommy laughed and nodded accordingly. Only twice had Zack used the ridiculous nickname for Tommy. The first time after having discovered the man's middle name of 'James' and the second after the whole 'J-Lo' phenomenon had surfaced. It was a dumb but affectionate jab.

"Hey fearless leader," Aisha bantered with Tommy, now hugging him.

"Hey Aisha," Tommy said somewhat coyly.

"Damn girl, I've missed you!" Zack bellowed as he held Kimberly tight.

"I've missed you guys too! It's been way too long. I'm so sorry for that," she said with a shake of the head. "Come in, come in," she directed, ushering them in beyond the threshold.

"Where's squirt?" Aisha wondered as they sat their bags down.

"She's out with some friends. I let her off the hook tonight," Kimberly explained.

"She kind of pulled a fast one on us earlier," Tommy added, grabbing the couple's bags and starting for the hallway.

"Oh, thank you!" Kimberly said to Tommy. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek as he passed by, "You're taking over Annie's room for the weekend."

"Fine by me," Zack said with a laugh.

"Thank you for letting us stay, girl," Aisha nodded. "This is so much easier than dealing with a hotel!"

"And cheaper!" Zack added.

Aisha and Kim laughed as they shook their heads, "Oh hush," Aisha scolded, "The place looks great."

"Thanks. I try," Kim said casually, though she was shamefully proud inside.

"So, what's new? What's been happening? How are you and Tommy? Did you get a dress yet for Saturday?"

Kimberly laughed as Aisha bombarded her. The women wandered into the kitchen as Zack and Tommy's laughter could be heard down the hall.

"Well," Kimberly started, "And please don't get mad that I didn't tell you immediately but Tommy and I just wanted to tell a few people at first cause we wanted to wait until Adam and Tanya's wedding was over but…look!"

Aisha's jaw fell to the floor as Kimberly proudly displayed her engagement ring.

"SHUT UP!" Aisha squealed, hugging her friend with delight, "Shut up, and let me see that!"

Aisha pulled Kimberly's hand toward her and buried her face into the rock.

"Damn, that's a good looking stone," Aisha tisked, "I can't believe you guys are engaged! So, when is it gonna be?"

Kimberly bit her lip and shrugged, "I don't know. We haven't really talked about that yet. A lot has happened since we got engaged."

"Like what? Damn, I've really lost touch with you guys!" Aisha giggled.

Kimberly gave her a shrug and waved her hesitation away, "I'll tell you later."

"Okay…" Aisha said, picking up Kimberly's tone.

"We'll talk, I promise," Kimberly assured her. "But how 'bout you? When are you and Zack gonna get hitched?"

Aisha rolled her eyes and shrugged, "Oh girl, don't ask me that question right now."

Kimberly gave her friend a curious look, "Bad time?" She wondered.

"We've been getting on each other's last vacant nerve about that stuff. It's all the boy can talk about."

"Really? You mean, he's the one pushing _you_?" Kim asked in amazement.

"Oh yeah. He's gone crazy! He keeps showing me wedding things and ideas like I've already consented to something! That's where that crack came from about your place being cheaper than a hotel! He keeps reminding me about needing to save up for 'the big day!'"

"That's actually kind of sweet," Kim said wistfully.

"That boy is trouble," Aisha muttered. The girl shared a lighthearted laugh as the boys reentered the room.

"So, what's the plan?" Zack asked as he settled down beside Aisha.

"Well, I know Kim's got her outfit planned already but I would personally like to hit the mall. I'm a little too worn out to do much else."

"Not too tired to shop?" Zack chirped, "Yeah, that's my baby," he chided.

Aisha gave his arm a playful smack as Tommy and Kim giggled.

"I could go with you, if you want?" Kim offered.

"I would hope so!" Aisha told her adamantly.

"Well, you ladies have fun," Zack said, kissing Aisha on the cheek as the women started up to leave.

"We could rent some movies, order pizza or something for tonight," Tommy suggested.

"That sounds awesome," Kimberly cooed, nuzzling him as they hugged.

"Call me when you're heading back," he instructed.

"Will do. I didn't pick up your outfit the other day but, I saw a few things," she told him quietly.

"I trust you; pick whichever one you think looks best. Thank you for taking care of that for me," he said with a kiss to her forehead.

"Hey lover boy, can I have my friend now?" Aisha playfully chided as she and Zack stood by the doorway.

Kim giggled as Tommy rolled his eyes, affectionately pushing Kim toward the door.

"Here, take her," he pouted.

"We'll be back in a few hours," Kim told him, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before slipping out the door.

_March 12__th__, 2008 _

_2:02pm_

_Angel Grove Galleria_

"I'll kill him!" Aisha declared, shoving a jelly bean aggressively into her mouth.

Kimberly rolled her eyes and shook her head, "I've already made him feel bad enough. It's over and I'm glad he's okay now," she said simply.

Aisha clicked her tongue in disapproval, still reeling over hearing about Tommy's brief hospital visit. Of all the irresponsible things to do! She had known Tommy's quiet strength was something to admire, but along with that solitude comes a need for release; she had clearly underestimated his need.

"This isn't a habit, right?" Aisha asked.

"No! I mean, neither of us have ever been big drinkers. Tommy certainly not but, I think this was a one time event that taught him a lesson."

"Good," Aisha said with a firm nod, "Jesus, Kim. You've been having a rough month."

The unspoken news still looming over her head, Kimberly could only shrug and muster a small laugh.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"So whatever happened with Jason? Does he know about what happened with Tommy? Was he there for it?" Aisha prompted after a minute.

Kim exhaled sharply. Here it comes. She had to tell someone, and since Aisha hadn't been involved in any of the sordid ordeal, she felt Aisha would be a more objective party, in case Kimberly was actually crazy.

"When I came to the mall the other day, I called him and told him," Kimberly started.

"What did he say?" Aisha wondered.

"He was surprised and concerned. Though, to be honest, I was distracted cause I saw something I probably shouldn't have. I barely remember our actual conversation."

"What?" Aisha obediently pressed on, "What'd you see?"

"Jason," Kim started again, Aisha's eyes burning into her own with anticipation, "Jason was at the mall. With Kat."

Aisha remained still until finally, her eyebrow raised knowingly, "Son of a bitch," she muttered.

Kimberly felt a tinge of relief as Aisha shook her head, "That's what I said."

"Did he see you?" Aisha asked.

"No. I don't think so," Kim assured her.

"So the question is, how long has he been lying about him and Kat?"

"Or, how long has he been telling the truth," Kim offered. Aisha gave her a skeptical look as the brunette explained further.

"He was furious that day I accused him, Ish. I believe him now. I really don't think anything more was going on between him and Kat _at the time_."

"But now," Aisha trailed off.

Kimberly nodded, "Now, he's an asshole. He's maintained his story, I'll give him that."

"Is that for Tommy?" Aisha asked as the girl's stopped in the Men's section of the store. Kimberly had pulled out a light olive jacket to examine.

"I don't like the color, but the jacket's nice," Kim thought.

"How can he do this to Billy?" Aisha wondered aloud, reverting the conversation back to previous matters.

"How can Kat?" Kim added.

"How can anybody? It's Billy! Who wants to hurt Billy?" Aisha rambled on, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I can't wait for them all to be under the same roof," Kim said dryly.

"Tell me about it!" Aisha agreed.

"What's Zack wearing?"

"This absolutely gorgeous pin stripe suit he bought himself," Aisha said with a roll of her eyes, "He's a bigger clothes horse than I am!"

"He's got style, Ish; can't begrudge him that."

"The pin stripes are lilac on black, so I've been trying to find something to match."

"My dress is like a mint color," Kim told her.

"No pink?"

"Har har, not this time," Kim said with a wink. Aisha scanned the department store until she saw the Formal Attire section in the distance.

"I'm going over there," she gestured for Kim.

"Okay, you know where to find me," Kim said with a sigh, still furtively searching for Tommy.

The women had been split up for an hour. Aisha called Kim on her cell, informing her of the solitary success she'd had.

They decide to meet up at the food court, though their excursion was almost over.

"Did you find something?" Aisha asked Kim as she approached the small table.

Kim nodded and held up her bag proudly. Aisha gave her a thumbs-up as she played with her phone.

"Baby," Kim heard Aisha answer her boyfriend over the phone, "Kim and I are heading back now. Get that pizza ready!"

"And don't rent a horror movie!" Kim chimed in, calling out to Zack.

Aisha laughed, "He said Tommy already gave him the lecture," she told Kim, "What kind of pizza do you want?"

"Veggie," came Kimberly's quick reply.

"You hear that? Right, veggie… but no mushrooms, thank you," Aisha told Zack, "Please rent something we can all watch."

Kim smiled as she watched Aisha giggle over the phone with Zack. She was so happy to have them here with her, despite all the self induced stress that had led up to the visit. She'd missed them, and the relief to have unburdened all the past month's events to Aisha had helped immeasurably. Now she didn't feel so alone in her thoughts; and the former Yellow Ranger would certainly provide a keen set of eyes for further deliberations.

"They were already at the video store," Aisha finally directed to her as she shut her phone, "We ready?"

"Yeah, let's go," Kim agreed, "I want to see that dress when we get home!"

_March 12__th__, 2008_

_5:45pm_

_Kimberly's House_

Kimberly hated greasy food, but sometimes pizza just tasted so damn good. The slice was piled high with green and banana peppers, black olives, and onions.

"Thank you again," she mumbled as she tucked into her third slice. The boys had the foresight to buy two large pies, thankfully. Everyone was greedily enjoying the splurge.

"So what'd you girls find? You haven't said a damn thing about the mall since you got back," Zack inquired.

"Oh baby, you'll be so proud to have me on your arm!" Aisha cooed.

"You guys might just show up the wedding party," Kim agreed.

"Sweet," Zack cackled, blowing a kiss to his girlfriend.

"You and Tommy are gonna look fly, too," Aisha reminded her, "Tommy, wait until you see what Kim picked out."

"Can't wait," he said with a smirk, glancing over at her.

"Nothing special, I just thought you'd look handsome," she told him shyly.

"Thank you," he whispered.

She sent him a wink as Zack wiped his hands and stood up, "Who's ready for a movie?"

"What's Annie wearing?" Aisha asked as they all adjusted to face the television.

"This crazy green shirt dress thing," Kim said with a shake of her head, "I'm just glad she's not wearing her combat boots!"

"The boots I got her?" Tommy asked.

Kim knocked his shoulder with her head playfully, "I like them, don't get me wrong. Just not for the wedding!"

Zack laughed as Aisha nodded, "Annie's a good looking kid, she'll look great no matter what."

"Thanks," Kim said.

"You used to wear boots with dresses," Tommy reminded her.

Kim rolled her eyes as the group laughed at her expense, "Don't remind me. Annie already read me the riot act about that."

"Okay, we got a few to choose from," Zack began again, holding up the cases.

"Island of Dr. Moreau!" Tommy called out.

"I said no horror movies!" Kim scolded.

"It's not horror, its sci-fi!" Tommy countered.

"You rented Mulan?" Aisha squealed as she reached for the case.

"What?" Kim questioned as she leaned over to read the case beside Aisha.

"You said something for everybody, so we raided the family section," Zack reasoned.

"I love this movie," Aisha said with a wistful sigh, "Li Shang is dreamy."

"Who's Li Shang?" Tommy asked.

Kimberly and Aisha stared back at him incredulously.

"What?" he said, glaring back at them.

"Actually, Tommy is kind of a Li Shang," Kimberly said thoughtfully.

"He totally is!" Aisha said with a nod.

Zack laughed as he rummaged through the other titles yet to be discussed. Tommy was still caught up in the girl's discussion of himself and this elusive fictional character.

"Who's Li Shang?"

"He's the Army captain Mulan falls in love with."

"But she's disguised as a boy and he doesn't know."

"She went into the Army to save her father."

"The Huns attacked China and she has to save them."

"Mulan saves Shang's life so when he finds out she's a woman, he spares hers."

"He always has his shirt off."

Tommy stared at the women intensely, "I remind you of him?"

Aisha gave him a once over and nodded, considering Kim's previous claim to still hold true.

"Well, when you were younger, I guess," Kim corrected herself.

"Oh so he's young?" Tommy asked, blinking at his own confusion. He still didn't understand.

"Here," Kim directed, handing him the jacket, "See? With the long hair and the jaw. Can't you see it?"

Tommy looked at the image and scratched his head, "I guess."

"It's a compliment! He's totally gorgeous, for a cartoon," Aisha assured him.

"Thanks," Tommy said hesitantly as Kim saddled back next to him.

"He's totally muscular and hunky," Kim whispered into Tommy's ear.

Tommy smiled and shook his head, "He's still a cartoon."

Kim shrugged and turned back to Zack, "Aisha and I will watch Mulan later. What else you got?"

"American Beauty, Ocean's Eleven and My Best Friend's Wedding," Zack said, winking as he called out the last title.

"My Best Friend's Wedding!" Kimberly squealed, "Please? It'll get us in the mood!"

"To go to a wedding we're not even part of?" Tommy asked skeptically.

Kim playfully smacked him as Aisha glared at Zack, "Ocean's Eleven, again?"

"I love this movie!" Zack defended.

"He thinks he's George Clooney," Aisha informed Kim and Tommy.

"His name is Danny Ocean, thank you very much," Zack chided.

Aisha rolled her eyes as Kim laughed, "Tommy wanted to plan a heist after he saw it."

Tommy held up his hands defensively as Zack went in for an affirming high-five.

Aisha managed a laugh as Tommy attempted to defend his position, "Who wouldn't? They made it look so cool."

"You can be my Rusty!" Zack encouraged with a chuckle.

"You'd need at least a dozen guys doing a combination of cons," Tommy chimed in, quoting.

"Like what, do you think?" Zack asked, right on cue.

"Off the top of my head, I'd say you're looking at a Boeski, a Jim Brown, a Miss Daisy, two Jethros and a Leon Spinks, not to mention the biggest Ella Fitzgerald ever."

The men cackled in delight as they replayed the scripted exchange. Aisha and Kim exchanged knowing looks.

"You guys are nerds," Kim squawked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Miss, 'I'm in love with a cartoon'," Tommy smirked.

"I didn't say I was in love. I just find him extremely attractive for an animated character," Kim retorted indignantly, crossing her arms.

"Ocean's Eleven, then?" Zack suggested as Kim continued to spar with Tommy.

"Fine," Aisha said with a shake of her head as Tommy cheered.

"Oh!" Kimberly grumbled as she realized the decision being made, "Fine."

_March 12__th__, 2008_

_8:03pm_

_Kimberly's House_

Without acknowledging the men's reverie, the girls had genuinely enjoyed the movie, and now were all in a full throttle discussion of who would be cast in their own version of the film.

"Billy's obviously Livingston," Kim said matter-of-factly.

"Rocky would be what's his face," Aisha said, tapping her fingers on the table as she tried to remember the character name, "You know, one of the brother's."

"Scott Caan's role, right?" Kim clarified.

"Which one is Scott Caan?" Aisha wondered.

"The cute but kind of dumb one," Kim reminded her.

"Yes! That one!" Aisha confirmed triumphantly.

"Turk Malloy," Tommy told her.

"And Adam would be Vincent," Aisha finished.

"Virgil," Zack corrected her.

"Whatever," Aisha said with a wave.

"We're running out of guys," Kim said thoughtfully.

"So? Put us girls in the mix," Aisha told her.

"I think Zack should be repositioned into Basher's role," Tommy announced.

"Why cause I'm black?" Zack joked.

"No, I just think Jason would fit Danny better now that we've added everyone else around us," Tommy reasoned.

"But you still get to be Rusty," Kim added, "I think that fits you."

"Fine, so I'm Basher. How about Zordon as Saul?" Zack suggested.

"Saul? The old guy?" Aisha grimaced.

"I get it. Cause he's like the wise, seasoned professional," Kim offered.

"Exactly."

"What about me and Kim?" Aisha prodded.

"You can be Bernie Mac," Zack joked.

Aisha scoffed and smacked him, "Why cause I'm black?" She echoed his earlier comment.

"He's the smooth jokester," Tommy amended.

"Kim could be Tess," Aisha considered.

"No, Tess belongs to Danny so…" Tommy reevaluated, "Make Kim, Yen."

Zack laughed as Kim gave Tommy a curious look, "The acrobat. Right on."

Kimberly giggled and shook her head, "Wasn't Catherine Zeta-Jones in one of the movies?"

"The second one," Tommy told her.

"I want to be her. She gets with Rusty, right?" Kim said.

"Yes, but we're talking strictly the first movie," Tommy explained, kissing her cheek.

"Fine, Trini would be Linus," Kim said proudly.

'Totally," Zack concurred, "One of the smartest con men, but kind of rogue. Good call."

"Tanya?" Aisha ventured.

"Terry Benedict," Tommy said without a pause.

"The bad guy?" Aisha asked him questioningly.

"Not cause he's the bad guy," Tommy began, "But because he's powerful and always keeps his cool."

"Good save," Kim whispered with a wink.

"And Kat as Tess!" Zack said with a flourish, "Though that would pair up Kat and Jason, but there's our cast!"

Aisha stole a quick glance at Kim as Zack finished his thought. Tommy caught the comment and the look but said nothing.

"So, can we plan our own heist now?" Zack added a moment later.

"You guys can if you want," Kim said as she stood up, "I'm going to the bathroom."

"I'll clean up," Tommy told her as he stood up next, followed by Aisha.

"I'll help," the girl said as she gathered up the plates and napkins while Tommy took the empty boxes.

"Thanks," Kim bowed as she left the room.

"We can watch My Best Friend's Wedding now," he called out to the house as he moved to the T.V.

"Finally!" Aisha called back from the kitchen.

As Kimberly returned, Zack stood up and approached her, giving her a hug.

"Thanks again for letting us shack up with you," he told her quietly.

"Of course. I've really missed you guys," she said.

"I'm gonna run to the bathroom myself. Movie's all ready to go," he said as he walked off.

"It's a Julia Roberts double feature," Aisha said with a smirk as Kim rejoined her and Tommy.

"I wrote a song about Julia Roberts a few years ago," Kim confessed, snuggling up to Tommy.

"You did?" Tommy asked her.

"What's it about?" Aisha asked.

"Fame, I guess," Kimberly said with a shrug, "It's kind of bitter but, I'm proud of it."

"You'll have to play it for us," Aisha suggested.

"God, if I can even remember how it goes. I haven't played my guitar in so long!"

"Annie's still learning right?"

"Tommy would know more than me at this point," Kim said turning to him, "She has her guitar at your place. Is she still keeping up with it?"

"I've heard her strumming a few times," Tommy offered, "If she's written anything or learned any new songs she hasn't told me about them."

"I'd love to have a jam session with all of us," Aisha chirped, "Me on the piano and Zack singing along as you and Annie play the guitar."

"That could be fun," Kim agreed.

"I'm so cornering her when she gets back tomorrow," Aisha threatened playfully.

Zack reentered and motioned to the blank T.V. screen, "What's up?"

"We were waiting for you," Tommy explained as he reached for the remote while Zack resumed his seat beside Aisha.

"Let's do this!" Zack claimed as the opening credits started.

"Oh my god!" Kim squealed as she leaned forward toward the screen.

"What?" Tommy asked.

"It's Ani Difranco!" She beamed as she nodded along to the song.

"You're right! I never realized that was her!" Zack said with a nod as he craned his neck to listen.

"How many times have we watched this movie, Ish? And I never even noticed!"

Aisha laughed as she sang a few lines, "It's not a song she typically sings, maybe that's why you didn't notice."

"That's for sure," Kim said with a laugh, "Annie should hear this, she'll flip out!"

_Wishin', and hopin', and thinkin', and prayin',  
Plannin' and dreamin' each night of his charms.  
That won't get you into his arms_Kim imitated the singer's bizarre vibrato and inflection as she sang along with the credits, much to the groups delight.

"Go girl!" Zack urged.

"I totally thought I grew out of my Ani phase but, she's still one of my favorites," Kim gushed.

"And Annie's too," Tommy reminded her.

"I'm glad I could at least pass _that_ on," Kim said with a chuckle as the group's mirth slowly simmered down in time to start the movie.

_March 15__th__, 2008_

_12:09pm_

_Kimberly's House_

"But kisses and love won't carry me till you marry me Bill!" Annie shouted at the top of her lungs as her and Aisha sang along to the mix in the bathroom.

The wedding was in a few hours, followed by the reception at the Youth Center. Kim had seriously considered skipping the ceremony all together, but Tommy had convinced her otherwise. Even though they were not literally in the wedding, Tanya and Adam would still want all of their friends to be present.

Zack was finished prepping and sat contently in the living room watching Ocean's Eleven again, laughing to himself as he imagined the theoretical cast from a few days ago.

Kimberly and Tommy were in her bedroom, Tommy on the bed fixing his shirt as she leaned against the sink in her bathroom, applying mascara.

"I didn't know there were that many songs about weddings," Tommy mused as he listened through the walls of the next track on the CD. Aisha and Annie had been buddies all morning, chatting about their outfits and music, getting caught up about Annie's life and boys and such.

"Nice song," Kim said with a chuckle as she rolled the brush across her lashes.

_Hey little sister what have you done  
Hey little sister __who's the only one  
Hey little sister who's your superman  
Hey little sister who's the one you want  
Hey little sister shot gun!_

"It _is_ a nice a day for a white wedding, isn't it?" Tommy said dryly.

"Oh stop," Kimberly scolded, moving on to her lipstick, "I think it's precious."

Tommy stared at Kim blankly before shaking his head and crossing over to the mirror.

"Is my shirt too bright?" He wondered aloud as he stood before his reflection in his dress shirt and boxers. Kim poked her head out to see.

"Too bright? Tommy's it's a pastel!"

"What the hell is a pastel?" He jabbed back.

"It's a diffused hue, a tint," She explained. Tommy rolled his eyes; _Art Teacher Kimberly_ had appeared. She sighed and rummaged through her make-up bag before extracting a dark green compact.

Coming up beside him, she displayed the small disc in contrast to his shirt.

"See this compact?" She asked him. Tommy nodded and crossed his arms. Kimberly smiled and pointed between the two surfaces, "The compact is significantly darker than the shirt, there's a lot of black added to this, making it a shade. The green in your shirt has all the same properties as the compact but, white has been added. That's called a tint."

Tommy raised an eyebrow and smirked as Kimberly stared back at him through the mirror.

"What?" She asked innocently. Tommy laughed, "You're cute," he said.

"Why?" She stared him down, turning to face him for real.

"And not in a condescending way," he furthered his rationale.

Kimberly giggled and smacked him on the chest, "You're shirt looks great. It'll match my dress."

"If you say so," he nodded.

"Get dressed, would ya?" She chided as she resumed her routine.

Tommy fished out his suit from the closet and laid it on the bed, staring at it intently. It was white; white linen. It was a sharp suit, to be sure. Tommy just hadn't donned that particular color in a long time, though he could probably guess why Kim had chosen it and it wasn't because the wedding was in the spring.

Kim glanced over her shoulder at him as he started to dress. The suit was gorgeous. She'd chosen the white for the same reason she'd chosen the green of his shirt and her dress.

It was a nod to him, in the time that she'd been there beside him. The minor accessories of his tie and their shoes simply black; another homage to him as she knew him now.

Red had been deliberately excluded from the ensemble, as a matter of principle.

She reentered the bedroom and took out her dress; a strapless empire number that hit at her knee, mint colored to match his shirt.

Tommy finished tucking in his shirt as Kim slid the dress up her body. He watched her for a moment as the fabric fitted around her behind; clad in nothing but a thong.

"Not wearing much under that," he smirked as he came up beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I can't afford to," she told him seriously.

"Not that I'm complaining," he said, bending down to kiss her neck.

"Tommy, linen wrinkles at even the thought of getting frisky," she warned him.

Tommy laughed into her ear and kissed it before straightening back up and helping her with the zipper.

"We'll test your theory later," he said smugly.

She smirked and bit her lip, heading back into the bathroom to finish her hair.

A half hour later, Tommy had joined Zack on the couch; careful to not rumple his attire too much as the three women finally emerged from their respective rooms.

Zack whistled as they entered, standing up to applaud. Tommy stood as well, mouth slightly agape at their transformations.

"Do we have the hottest dates or what?" Zack said with a playful slap to Tommy's chest.

"We clean up pretty good, huh?" Aisha smirked, wrapping her arms lazily around Zack's neck to give him a kiss.

"Wow," Tommy muttered as mother and daughter stood before him, "You both look beautiful."

"Dad!" Annie grimaced as Kim bit her lip, "Thanks," she said shyly.

"You guys look amazing, too," Tommy added as he caught a glimpse at the other couple standing by the doorway.

Aisha's dress was full length with a design of purple and yellow roses. The straps were a mess of ruffles that couched the woman's cascading braids. She wore no jewelry, and subtle make-up, complimenting her chocolate skin perfectly.

Zack could look smooth in a t-shirt and jeans but the black and purple pin-striped suit he wore practically made him a pimp. A lilac shirt with a gold tie, matching the flowers of Aisha's gown and they were a breathtaking couple.

"You're not so bad yourself," Aisha motioned between him and Kim.

Tommy's white linen suit looked clean and powerful, hugging his frame like a glove. The pants broke at just the spot to give them a swagger. His mint colored shirt balanced out by his black shoes and tie, left him feeling sophisticated without being pretentious.

Kimberly looked remarkable, and rather like she'd come packaged with his ensemble she matched him so well. The mint of her dress was a dead compliment to his shirt, a simple set of beads and black heels, coupled with her auburn hair that was pulled into a low ponytail and they were an unmistakable twosome.

Annie felt a little out of the mix as she stared at the two adult couples, but her anguish soon fell to the wayside when Zack chimed in.

"Look at that family portrait," he smiled wistfully. The three of them together, in a miraculous palette of green, white and black; their tanned skin and dark features all glowing in the intruding sun light.

"Shall we?" Aisha offered once everyone had admired the other.

"Yes, indeed," Zack said, lacing his arm through Aisha's as they headed for the door.

_March 15__th__, 2008_

_1:40pm_

_Angel Grove Youth Center_

It always shook Kimberly's nerves to enter the boldly colored walls of the Youth Center, remembering less complicated times before real life had taken hold. But seeing the interior room decorated for Adam and Tanya's unconventional wedding made her edge soften. It was exquisite and charming. Ernie, the original proprietor had moved back home to Brooklyn for a time due to a family emergency, with ownership of the quaint business shifting hands many times. But some time in the last few years, he'd moved back and bought the place again; the Youth Center's integrity had officially returned.

The portly man never spared an expense when it came to hosting private parties and special events. And this special event was no exception. Consider to, that Adam and Tanya were among some of his favorite patrons of all time, and he was sure to lay out all the trimmings.

And did he ever; despite the intimacy of the actual party. The caterers and party staff hired by Tanya's parents had nothing on the stout entrepreneur. Kimberly had a feeling Mr. and Mrs. Sloan had spent a long while compromising with Ernie and his imagined aesthetic.

Pale yellows mixed with more vibrant hues covered the main room. A piano was delivered and moved to far corner; a buttery cloth covering its wooden exterior.

A small stage beget the altar; steps leading up to a podium, torches at every corner.

The pews were nothing more than folding chairs; sunny yellow bunting draped over every row. Two sections for the bride and groom's parties respectively; twelve chairs in each section; four across and six back. Twenty four people this would accommodate, nothing more.

The intimate ceremony was a delightful idea, though it left little room for an arriving guest to be seated inconspicuously. The first to feel the small gathering's eyes was Billy.

Aisha and Zack sat in the row in front of Kim, Tommy and Annie but it took nothing more than a swift kick under her seat to get Aisha's attention. The woman sun around and saw the former Blue Ranger heading for their row, _alone._

He smiled politely at Adam and Tanya's families, seated on either side of him before he finally approached his friends. Kim and Aisha stood to hug him, Tommy and Zack offering their hands. Billy managed a small smile and waved to Annie as he graciously took a seat next to Zack.

"It's good to see you, man," Zack whispered.

"You too," Billy replied before glancing back at Kim and Tommy.

"Salutations," he joked with a lopsided grin. Kim and Tommy managed a small chuckle and waved back.

"Hey," Kim offered.

"You all look very nice," he said slowly. Kim blushed as Tommy and Annie smiled.

Sometimes Kim found it amusing how difficult is was for Billy to speak plainly.

"So do you," she told him.

"Glad you're here, buddy," Tommy said, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. Billy nodded before turning back to face the front.

A young man, slightly older than Annie but younger than her and her companions entered next, though Kim's scrutiny was more from not knowing who he was.

"Who's that?" She asked Tommy in hushed tones, pointing discreetly at the boy.

"I don't believe it!" He said in awe, his voice growing in volume as the boy approached.

"Justin?" Tommy inquired as he stood up to greet the young man. Justin Stewart, who had served briefly as the Blue Turbo Ranger, replacing Rocky after a serious injury, was a mere ten years old when he'd joined the team, making him the youngest Ranger ever.

The young man had to be at least twenty by now, but he looked the same. Tommy ushered past Kim and embraced the boy.

"Tommy!" Justin said with delight as he returned the gesture, "I haven't seen you in forever!"

"How've you been? What are you up to now?" Tommy asked as they parted.

"I'm starting my final year at AGU, in Industrial Technology," he revealed with a smile.

"Good for you, man," Tommy said with a sigh before turning back to his curious friends, "Guys, this is Justin Stewart," he started before remembering Annie's presence wouldn't allow for elaboration.

"Hi," said the group in unison.

"Justin this is Aisha, Zack and Billy," Tommy motioned, "And this is my daughter Annie and my fiancé Kim,"

"Nice to meet you," Justin said with a nod. He knew who they all were, even if they weren't sure of his identity.

The piano player was seated, alerting the crowd of the ceremony's eminent beginning.

Justin was seated beside Annie as Tommy resumed his place between her and Kim.

Tommy glanced at his watch; 1:55pm, five minutes before the procession would start.

"Where's Jason?" He whispered to Kim, glancing around.

Kim bit her lip and scanned the room as well, biting back her grimace when he couldn't be found.

Then, as if on cue; Jason appeared from the doorway looking slightly flustered.

"Thank God," Tommy muttered as Jason approached them.

"Great," she said under her breath.

"Hey guys," Jason said out of breath, flashing the group a brief smile before seeing the only empty seat.

Kimberly cocked her eyebrow and returned Jason's smile with a curt one of her own as Jason nervously sat beside Billy.

"Good to see you," Billy said innocently and unaware.

"You too, bro," Jason said with a cough. Kimberly kicked Aisha's chair once more. The Yellow Ranger said nothing nor faced her but simply nodded, staring straight ahead.

Again, Tommy noticed the exchange and chose to remain silent. Something was about to come out in the wash, and he'd wait to find out.

The pianist began the fanfare, hushing the low murmur of the crowd as the lights dimmed. Two run crew members lit the torches and slipped into the background as Adam led the procession of men up his side and took their positions.

Adam, Rocky and another man named Travis who had ushered Kim and Tommy stood before the group. Rocky caught Aisha's attention and gave her a goofy smile as Adam looked her way and gave a bashful grin.

Tommy smiled at the exchange as a few more subtle greetings were exchanged before the bridesmaids entered.

A girl named Vanessa, Travis' wife, as he'd told Kim and Tommy earlier, walked the path first, smiling forward before turning and taking the far end position across the stage.

Kat emerged next, holding the same yellow rose bouquet her fellow bridesmaid had donned. Dressed in a modest but impeccable creamy yellow floor length dress and dyed to match heels. Her golden locks shorn to her chin but echoing the yellow décor made Katherine positively breathtaking.

"She looks amazing," Billy muttered to Jason. Kimberly felt a pang as her heart went out to her friend. To her discomfort, Jason remained stoic as the flower girls came next, followed closely by the ring-bearer.

Aisha and Zack cooed while Kim bit her lip, Tommy smiling. The flower girls were Tanya's little sisters; Shauna and Elise, ages ten and seven. They were adorably proud of their duty as they tossed the rose petals into the air and giggled in delight to watch them fall. Tommy tapped Kimberly's arm and pointed to the ring-bearer; Rocky's nephew, Diego. He was all of five years old and kept his face studied as he carefully held the cushion high above his head.

"He's adorable," Kim whispered to Tommy.

"Rocky still makes that face," Tommy whispered back with a chuckle.

"He's doing such a good job," Aisha glanced back and breathed, smiling widely before turning back to watch the little boy and the two girls take their place beside their parents.

The crowd turned immediately as the final precession began, Tanya and her father appeared from around the corner.

Everyone held the breath as Tanya began her slow descent down the aisle. She was radiant. A platinum, satin ball gown adorned her lithe figure. Her hair, sculpted into a high bun was adorned with tiny, tourmaline crystals. She wore no veil, not that it mattered. Her face was far too breathtaking to hide. As she passed, Kimberly turned her focus to Adam's reaction. He looked like he might faint, he seemed so elated.

Kimberly squeezed Tommy's hand as Tanya's father placed a loving peck on her cheek before taking his seat. Tanya and Adam took hands and faced the priest.

"Dearly beloved…"

_**AN: Oh! Don't worry the wedding continues next chapter! Please review! Catch ya on the flipside!**_


	38. Hour Follows Hour

_**Pulse**_

_**AN: There's been a lot of music dropped into the past few chapters, I apologize to anyone who's not a fan of that aspect. Hopefully the action and dialogue makes up for it. Thank you again for reviewing! So, the wedding continues. What will happen? Enjoy!**_

_**Chapter 38**_

_**Hour Follows Hour**_

_March 15__th__, 2008_

_4:02pm_

_Angel Grove Youth Center_

"What a beautiful ceremony," Aisha sighed as she pulled her braids back out of her face.

"I can't believe they're married!" Kim squealed, spinning on her heels.

The ceremony had been short and sweet, over before they knew it. They had gathered outside briefly afterwards to take a few photos while the run crew busied themselves with setting up the Youth Center for the reception.

Zack and Annie had run off to the cars to grab the gifts while Tommy and Billy along with Justin had gone off to talk to Rocky.

Adam and Tanya had disappeared until their grand return for the reception, as well as Kat, Vanessa and Travis.

Jason too had seemingly disappeared quickly after the ceremony, though Kim wanted to believe it had simply been to retrieve his gift as well.

"I better get back to the procession, see you guys in a bit," Rocky told the guys with a wave as the three men came waltzing back to the girls.

"Where are Zack and Annie?" Tommy asked as he came up beside Kim.

"Getting the gifts," Kim told him.

"What'd you get them?" Billy inquired.

"Zack and I got them a tropical survival kit, since they're going to Oahu for their honeymoon," Aisha explained.

Billy chuckled before looking at Tommy and Kim, "And you?"

"We got them a Wii," Tommy grinned proudly as Kim rolled her eyes.

"You disapprove?" Billy questioned her. Kim shook her head.

"No, it's actually something I think they'll enjoy and use, I just shouldn't have let Tommy pick out the gift," she chided playfully, squeezing his arm.

"How about you guys?" Tommy looked at Billy and Justin.

"I just gave them cash, I wasn't really sure what to purchase," Billy said bashfully.

"That's great, Billy. They'll probably welcome it once they start traveling," Aisha assured him.

"I actually built my gift," Justin explained, much to the group's surprise, "I took an engineering class last semester and built a bicycle from a community collection center and it turned out so great that I decide to build two custom bikes for Adam and Tanya. I had to ask them specifics for their creations so they know what's coming."

"That's really cool," Kim said with a nod, she now understood why he'd been chosen as a Ranger, despite his diminutive beginning. Thankfully Tommy had relieved them all of who Justin was once Annie had run to the restroom at one point. Now that she knew, Kim eased into conversation with him as if he'd been with them all along.

The doors flew open, signaling the guests to return inside as Zack and Annie sauntered up; gift boxes in tow.

"They just opened the doors again," Kim told them, taking the box from Annie and leading her inside.

"I think the lotion leaked," Zack told Aisha as he carefully examined the sides of their package.

"Eww, really?" Aisha grimaced as she scanned the box as well.

"Or melted or something," he mumbled, shaking his head, "It's cool, we'll warn them."

"Where's Jason?" Tommy asked, looking around for his friend. He'd barely talked to him before the ceremony and hadn't seen him since it finished. He was beginning to wonder about his behavior and could only assume Aisha and Kim knew the reasoning behind some of it.

"I don't know, he left right after the ceremony. I haven't seen him since," Billy told him as the men took up the rear of the line of re-entering guests.

Vanessa and Travis awaited the guests in front a long table right before the entrance.

"Please find your name card and refer to your table number," Vanessa politely encouraged.

"I'll escort anyone who needs assistance," Travis added.

Kim grabbed her card as Annie did the same, "Table six," she read aloud.

"Table six," Aisha and Zack waved their place cards.

Kim glanced at the table and noticed Jason's place card. She snatched it before reading the card quickly; table five, close enough.

Billy, Tommy and Justin approached moments later, each grabbing their respective place cards.

"We're at table five," Billy confirmed with Justin.

"I'm at six," Tommy told them, "At least we'll be nearby."

The guests finished filtering in as drinks and water were served to those who wanted them. The pianist resumed his seat after retrieving a glass of water and began playing soft background music as Ernie stood up on the stage.

Half the room had been cleared away, for dancing later presumably. A DJ booth had been set up on the now folded stage, removing half of its girth. Five round tables for the guests gathered around a sixth square one for the wedding party.

The yellow bunting and drapes had been replaced by bundles of yellow, black and green balloons, scattered around the room's perimeter. A waiter appeared at Kim's side, ready to take the drink order.

"I'm fine with water right now," she told him kindly. Annie ordered a soda while Zack and Aisha both requested wine. When the gentleman got to Tommy, the former Ranger stole a glance at Kim.

"I'll take a Dr. Pepper," he said with a smile. The waiter nodded and went away. Aisha gave Kim a wink as Kim smiled gratefully at Tommy.

"I know what you were thinking," he told her grimly.

"Can you blame me?" She whispered, "It's okay though, you know? When the champagne comes I won't begrudge you a glass."

Tommy smirked, "I know, thank you," he told her softly. The couple shared a chaste kiss as Ernie finally spoke up.

"How's everyone doing?"

The small gathering cheered and saluted the round figure standing at the microphone.

"Allow me to introduce our wedding party! First up we have, Mr. and Mrs. Feldman, both mutual friends of the bride."

The crowd applauded as Vanessa and Travis entered hand in hand and bowed, proceeding to the center table.

"Next we have Miss Katherine Hillard and Mr. Rocky Desantos, both close friends of the bride and groom."

Again, the crowd applauded as Rocky and Katherine entered. The tall blonde acknowledged her friends briefly as she and Rocky passed the tables.

"And finally, ladies and gentlemen I am proud to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Park!"

The crowd rose to their feet as hollers resounded for the newly wedded couple. Adam's lanky arm holding Tanya's protectively but proudly as he escorted them to the head of their table.

Once the crowd settled, the waiters returned with drinks, checking up on any new developments. Kimberly glanced to the doorway when she spotted Jason entering.

He smiled coyly at her as he found his way to table five, seated with Billy, Justin, Rocky's sister, Gaby, her son Diego and her husband Kyle.

"How come they have six at their table?" Zack wondered.

"Diego's too young, he doesn't count as a full serving," Aisha reasoned.

"I'm glad I count as a full one," Annie joked, eliciting chuckles from the adults around.

Kim followed Jason as he took his seat, eyeing him carefully. He'd been conspicuously aloof since he'd arrived practically late for the ceremony. She knew _he knew_ she was onto him, but she didn't let that phase her. She'd need to confront him in person. She just wasn't sure _when._

"What's going on?" Tommy whispered.

"You noticed," She whispered back, smiling as if he was charming her.

"You and Aisha keep trading looks," he added.

"I'll tell you later," she said, feigning a giggle as if he'd whispered some term of endearment into her ear.

Tommy eyed her skeptically before stealing a glance back at Jason, who'd since buried his head in his drink. Tommy's focus then shifted to Billy, who seemed oblivious to any exchange save for the conversation he was having with Justin. Then Tommy ventured a glance at Kat, who was chatting idly with Vanessa at the center table.

He had his suspicions, and with them came dread and embarrassment. He didn't know whether he wanted Kim to be right or wrong about what was happening with their friend. Though he silently prayed it was the latter.

The party listened wistfully as the groom and best man gave their speeches while the appetizer was served; a green salad, baguettes and shrimp cocktail.

Annie ordered another soda, much to Kim's chagrin while Zack shared another glass of wine with Aisha. Tommy and Kim stayed with their choice of beverage as Ernie stepped onto the platform once again.

He introduced the DJ with aplomb as the crowd applauded; announcing the bride and groom's first dance.

Kim took a sip of her water as she watched Adam lead Tanya out onto the dance floor.

She smiled sadly as the song came overhead.

_Come with me  
My love  
To the sea  
The sea of love_

I want to tell you  
how much  
I love you

Do you remember  
When we met  
That's the day  
I knew you were my pet

I wanna tell you  
how much  
I love you

Come with me  
My love  
To the sea  
The sea of love

I wanna tell you  
How much  
I love you

Tanya leaned into Adam as they shared a kiss, the crowd whistling and cheering them on.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the dance floor is now yours," Ernie announced.

_Come On-a My House_ by Rosemary Clooney started as some of the older couples got out of their seats immediately.

Not to be showed up, Zack pulled Aisha to the floor just as deftly. Tommy grabbed Annie, much to her embarrassment as Kim laughed wildly. Rocky dragged Kat alongside Vanessa and Travis while Adam and Tanya remained dancing, changing their pace as the tempo picked up.

Justin ventured up to the floor as well, entertaining the two flower girls who were evidently smitten while Rocky's sister affectionately led little Diego around the crowd.

Kim's reverie was temporarily suspended as she looked at the two forlorn men at the table next to hers. Both Billy and Jason stared longingly at the dance floor couples, undoubtedly wishing the same thing. Kim's gaze had no choice but to venture toward the tall blonde shimmying amidst her companions.

Though the thought was somewhat ridiculous, Kimberly felt the smallest twinge of jealousy as she considered the two men's affections. Why hadn't the boys ever competed for her attention? Not that Billy and Jason were who she'd want fighting over her. And not that she hadn't, in their stead, already won the attention of the boy she _had_ wanted. But even Tommy had been smitten with Katherine at one point. The latent nausea washed over Kim as she tried to shake it away. Her intrinsic jealousy of Katherine didn't matter ultimately, nor did it do anything to assuage the situation.

She could ask one of them to dance, but which one? If she asked Billy, that'd give Jason an opening to approach Kat. But if she asked Jason, Billy's already dejected persona would spiral further.

A solution came in the form of Jason saddling into the chair beside her, flashing her a humble grin.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hey," she echoed.

"How's Tommy doing?" he started.

Kim went blank for a moment, not expecting his question, "Oh, he's doing fine. It's been a long week but, we're doing much better. Thanks for asking," she spoke truthfully.

Jason nodded, "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you," he admitted, "Things have been kind of nuts lately."

"I'll bet," she laughed nervously.

"I'm sorry if I said or did anything to cause this riff between us," Jason said after a moment.

Kimberly looked at him curiously, "Why? You haven't done anything wrong," she baited.

Jason shrugged, "I feel like I've been a bad friend. You and I got into that huge fight and then you and Tommy got into it and then I wasn't there for you at the hospital…I don't know, Kim. I've just been dealing with a lot of difficult things and I've been selfish so, again, I'm sorry."

"Well, you have my apology for not being at the hospital," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully.

"Thanks," he said with a nod.

"Have you talked to Kat since my birthday?" She asked innocently, though she could the fear in his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah…" he responded slowly, taking a second to glance back at Billy before lowering his voice, "She's umm, not with that other guy any more."

Kim snickered, _"No, cause she's with you, Jason,"_ she thought silently to herself.

"No?" She said aloud.

"No. But she's umm, she's not going back to Billy," Jason further explained in hushed tones.

Kimberly nodded slowly, "Yeah, I figured," she said, hiding her venom as best she could.

"She hasn't talked to Billy about any of this yet," Jason continued, "I think he knows they're over but, I really wish she'd talk to him."

"Why hasn't she?" Kim ventured, it was a fair question, sordid circumstances notwithstanding.

"Well, there are _other_ complications," Jason alluded.

Kimberly's eyes went wide. He wanted to confess, she could feel it. Jason wasn't a bad guy; he'd just made a lot of bad choices recently.

"What _other_ complications? Doesn't Billy at least deserve closure?"

Kim's ire was up the longer she thought about her friend in blue. No one deserved this kind of treatment, least of all Billy.

"Yes, totally. That's why I've been trying to get her to talk to him," Jason said.

"Can I ask you something?" Kim posed. Jason gave her an unsure look but nodded, "Why are you so invested?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, how did you manage to get stuck in the middle of this whole thing? Why are _you_ helping _Kat_ when Billy's the one who needs the comfort?"

Jason was rendered speechless for the moment as Kim looked up in horror. Billy had obviously noticed her and Jason's hushed conversation and choice glances and assumed he was being talked about. He got up and stalked out of the room.

"Shit," Kim muttered as she stood up and followed him. Jason remained seated rubbing his forehead in frustration.

"Billy?" Kim called after him, right on his heels as he wandered outside, "Billy?" she said again, coming up beside him.

"Please don't," the man said weakly. Kimberly's heart sank, if he only knew she was on his side.

She extended a tentative hand to his shoulder, only to have him shirk it away.

"Billy please look at me," she pleaded.

"I don't appreciate being discussed behind my back," he snapped, "I realize the pathetic nature of my current situation and I'd prefer if everyone would remain ambivalent and allow me to ascertain my own next course of action."

Kimberly snickered, even when emotionally taxed, Billy knew how to confound her with his techno-babble.

"I concur," Kim said jokingly, giving him a half hearted smile.

Billy laughed in spite of himself and turned around to face her, "Thank you for everything, Kim. You've really been the only one to confront me about this whole ordeal. Everyone else kind of keeps me at arm's length."

"Oh, Billy," Kim said as she drew him into a hug, "I hate seeing you like this."

Billy awkwardly patted her back and chuckled, "I don't particularly enjoy feeling this way either."

Kimberly pulled back and stared at her friend. Though his eyes had not shed a single tear, sadness still resided in them. She didn't know how to explain to him what she and Jason had been discussing, though it was mildly non-threatening. And Jason hadn't incriminated himself conclusively, which made it difficult for Kim to simply call him out. What if she was wrong? What if this whole mess was just a big misunderstanding? She hoped so.

"Mom?" Annie's voice suddenly broke through Kim's stupor as she broke her gaze from Billy and turned to face her daughter, standing in the doorway.

"Hey sweetie, is everything okay?"

"You and Uncle Billy are requested on the dance floor," Annie explained, smiling to the man in blue.

Kimberly nodded and gave Billy a small smile, offering her arm. He bashfully took it and ducked his head as they all reentered the building.

Kimberly caught on quickly to what was happening. As they happened back to the main room, Jason pulled Kim away, forcing her to dance with him. Zack grabbed Billy as Aisha, Justin and Annie now cut a rug. She glanced around to see Tommy having begun to mingle with Vanessa and Travis while Rocky and Tanya danced, leaving Adam and Kat with one another.

Zack deftly found his way around Adam and Kat, swinging Billy precariously close to the blonde's vicinity. The humor of seeing Zack lead Billy around like a rag doll was momentary, as Kim realized who had been the mastermind to get Kat and Billy around one another; Jason.

Kim shot him a look in that instant, reading his eyes for an answer.

"What? I had to get them to talk somehow," Jason reasoned as he held Kim tightly, more out of secrecy that affection.

"And Zack was the first to offer, I'm sure," Kim said bitingly.

"Why wouldn't he? He doesn't want to see Billy hurting anymore than I do," Jason snapped back.

They were spinning in large circles, the commotion of the music and the crowd, deafening. Kim was starting to feel light headed, but not from the dancing.

"Again I ask, why do you care so much? Why must it be you who instigates every reunion between broken hearted couples?"

Her slight regarding not only Billy and Kat but herself and Tommy had not gone unnoticed by Jason. He squeezed her hand roughly as they continued to dance aggressively around the floor.

"I'm just looking out for my friends, Kimmie," he sneered.

At this Kimberly stopped, dragging him to the far corner of the room.

"No, Jason. You're looking out for yourself this time. I am in you debt for helping Tommy and I but, _this_," she said, gesturing to Billy and Katherine, "This is for yourself."

Jason glared at her incredulously, "Why? Why if I liked Kat _way back when_, would I try to get her to make amends with Billy?"

"Because you _still_ like her, Jason. And you need Kat to make amends cause you feel guilty. What do you want her to say? That she and Billy can't be together because she's with you now? Is that the closure you want Billy to have?"

Jason continued to glare at the small woman before him, silently daring her to keep up her accusations.

"I saw you," she added, "At the mall the other day, together."

Jason's face fell, his brow furrowing in conflict, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh give it up, Jase. I saw you before I called you, I was there."

"You were spying on me?"

"I didn't intend on seeing you there!"

"What did you see? Or what did you think you saw?"

"I saw Kat with some guy and I got panicked so I called you. Boy did I feel stupid when this faceless man answered his cell phone right as you answered yours!"

Jason tightened his jaw, he knew he was busted, "Nothing's happened."

"Says you," Kim snorted, crossing her arms. Jason looked past her to see Billy and Kat nervously standing together.

"Oh great," Kim muttered as she saw what Jason was looking at. She turned back to him and prodded his chest with her finger, "If you don't tell Billy, I will."

Jason looked down at her in grief, "Kim, I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

Kim kept her eyes fixed on him, "Well you certainly didn't try to avoid it either."

Jason bowed his head and nodded, "That's true."

Kim softened slightly at seeing Jason's anguish. She knew he hadn't meant to hurt anybody, just as Kat hadn't meant to either.

"Sometimes these things just happen, I get that. But do you know how devastated Billy will be to find out he's not only been dumped by Kat for one guy but _two_? She leaves him for a perfect stranger and then starts seeing his friend?"

To this, Jason's head shot up abruptly and gave Kimberly a guilty look, "There was never another guy."

Kim's face dropped, "What?" She breathed.

Jason swallowed with difficulty before sending her a pleading look, "I was the guy. The entire time, it was me."

Kim's jaw all but hit the floor as she stood staring at Jason. Her softened edge now hardening once again at this new information.

"You lied to me? You've been lying to me this entire time?" She babbled, disbelieving.

Jason said nothing but nodded. Kimberly massaged her temples before spinning on her heels and walking away from him.

"Kim!" He called out, attempting to stop her from leaving but to no avail.

Tommy looked up from his conversation with the Feldman's and saw Kimberly dart across the dance floor. He politely excused himself and got up to follow.

Aisha, Annie and Justin caught Kimberly's exit as well. Justin shrugged and looked to Annie, who was looking to Aisha.

Aisha turned to see a fidgety Jason standing in the corner from which Kim had left. Understanding, she assuaged Annie and Justin to let Tommy find her, keeping them preoccupied.

Zack, Rocky and Adam had missed the bustle while their backs had been turned. But Tanya, who also knew the truth behind Kat's indiscretion, did notice. She turned to see her friend engaged in a deep but calm conversation with Billy.

Flagging Katherine down, Tanya politely interrupted their dialogue.

"Kat, I need to use the restroom, could I get your help? My dress…" Tanya lied with an apologetic smile to Billy.

Kat reluctantly nodded and stood up, giving Billy a sad smile, "Umm, I'll be right back, okay?"

Billy nodded, his face flushed. He had not been burdened with Kat's big secret yet, though he'd clearly been told they were over. So far, Billy was handling it all like a gentleman.

Once far enough away, Tanya grabbed Kat's arm, still making as though they were headed for the bathroom, "Kimberly knows."

"What?" Kat asked confusedly, "Kimberly knows what?"

"About you and Jason!" Tanya whispered harshly.

Kat covered her mouth with her hand, "Oh no!"

"Oh no is right! Look, I was never exactly thrilled to hear about you cheating on Billy but, you're my friend and I appreciated you coming to me with the truth. But so help me, if any of you ruin my wedding, I will never speak to any of you again."

Kat nodded, "No, no, no. Of course, Tanya. I'm so sorry about all of this. I will handle this. Don't worry, I won't let anything spoil this day for you and Adam."

"You're damn right you won't. Jason's moping in the corner, Billy's moping at the table and Kim's God knows where! If she tells Billy before you get the chance all hell is gonna break loose!"

"I'm not going to say anything," Kim said.

Tanya and Kat froze as they turned to see Kimberly and Tommy standing in the hallway.

"Tommy knows too?" Kat asked in horror.

"He does now," He said dryly.

"Oh my God," Kat muttered, burying her face in her hands, "I'm so embarrassed."

"You should be," Kim said coldly, "But I realize it's not my place to say anything. You and Jason need to tell him."

"Well nobody's going to say a damn thing right now!" Tanya chimed in.

"Tanya, we promise nothing will get out of hand," Tommy assured her.

"I've heard that before!" She huffed before turning back to Kat, "Please be careful."

Katherine nodded solemnly as Tanya picked up her train and waltzed back inside.

The blonde stood there for a moment, adjusting to Kimberly and Tommy's stares.

"You both must really hate me right now," she muttered.

"Kat, we don't hate you," Tommy started.

"We hate what you've done," Kim cut in sharply. Tommy put a hand on Kim's shoulder to calm her as Kat nodded.

"I do too," she said quietly as Kim marched up to her. Kat took a step back, afraid the petite girl might slap her.

"So fix it," Kim said, surprisingly kind.

Kat stared back at her, her eyes wide with pleading, "How? If I tell Billy, he'll be crushed."

"Billy's already crushed," Kim reminded her.

"But if I tell him it's Jason, Billy might just kill himself!"

"Don't flatter yourself," Tommy said suddenly. Kat's face dropped as Kimberly turned to him in surprise.

"People break up, Kat. Billy's smart enough to understand that. He also smart enough to know who to fight for. You've done him wrong, Kat. And so has Jason. If anything, you've enlightened him."

Kim couldn't help herself, she smiled proudly at Tommy's harsh but eloquent words.

Kat crossed her arms and nodded, "I guess that's it then?"

"Wait until the wedding's over," Kim said finally with a absent pat to Kat's shoulder as she and Tommy returned inside.

The synthesized loop started, followed by a faint cow bell as Kim's lifeblood was suddenly rejuvenated, grabbing Tommy's hand eagerly and pulling him to the dance floor. Zack caught wind of the song beginning and slid up behind Aisha. Tanya danced with her father as Adam danced with his mother; Rocky grabbing Annie.

_A little less conversation, a little more action please  
All this aggravation ain__'t satisfactioning me  
A little more bite and a little less bark  
A little less fight and a little more spark  
Close your mouth and open up your heart and baby satisfy me  
Satisfy me baby  
_

Zack and Tommy hollered as they recognized where they'd just heard the song from; _Ocean's Eleven_. They exchanged a rowdy high-five as their respective girlfriends laughed and sang along.

_  
Baby close your eyes and listen to the music  
Drifting through a summer breeze  
Its a groovy night and I can show you how to use it  
Come along with me and put your mind at ease__'t satisfactioning me  
A little more bite and a little less bark  
A little less fight and a little more spark  
Close your mouth and open up your heart and baby satisfy me  
Satisfy me baby  
_

A little less conversation, a little more action please  
All this aggravation ain

"Come on baby I'm tired of talking" Zack drawled, "Grab your coat and let's start walking."

Kim and Aisha obliged as they echoed the verse's chant, "Come on, come on."

"Come on, come on."

"Come on, come on."

_Don__'t procrastinate, don't articulate  
Girl it's getting late, gettin upset waitin around!_

As the song faded into the next, Kim suspended her mirth to notice the trio of complicated issues. Kat was still seated, while Billy headed to the bar; where Jason currently stood. Kim bit her lip nervously, imagining fists flying and bottles shattering if Kat had not waited.

And to her relief, somewhat, Kat had indeed waited. Billy merely ordered his drink and exchanged a tight smile with Jason. The former leader on the other hand, barely responded, merely grabbed his drink and headed back to his table.

Tommy caught Kim's daze and lifted her chin to face him, "I'm proud of you," he told her softly as their pace slowed to match the tempo of the song.

Kim blinked as his comment caught her off guard, "Of me? For what?"

"The way you handled this whole situation. For talking to me about what happened, for the way you dealt with Kat, everything."

"I'm kind of proud of me too," she said cheekily.

"You were caught up in this whole mess and you gracefully untangled yourself and let them deal with it. I know how mad you were, and two days ago you would have probably busted right in and spilled the beans but today, you didn't."

"Thank you. And thank you for what you said to Kat," She told him brightly.

"After you told me what happened I just…I guess I couldn't get it out of my head what that must have done to her ego, ya know?"

"I've never heard you speak to Kat that way. I never thought you would."

"I could have said worse things," he smirked, "And I know she feels bad but, regardless of how sticky the situation was, I know _I'd_ be secretly jazzed if I had two girls fighting for my affection. I can only assume a woman would feel the same way."

"She would," Kim agreed, recalling her jealous train of thought earlier that evening, "And what do you mean you'd be jazzed to have two girls fighting over you?"

Tommy laughed, "How did I know you weren't gonna let that comment slide?"

Kim stuck her tongue out, "That's one fight I won't stay out of!"

"There is no fight…I don't think," He said wryly, scoping out the rest of the party, "Unless there's someone else interested I didn't know about."

"Stop looking for it," she chided him playfully, pulling his face back to hers.

Tommy laughed again and rested his forehead against her own, "I don't know how I'm gonna face Jason after this," he said seriously.

Kim moved to rest her head against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist tightly. They swayed to the music, letting its message sink in.

_Advice for the young at heart  
Soon we will be older  
When we gonna make it work ?__ls  
When we gonna make it work ?_

Too many people living in a secret world  
While they play mothers and fathers  
We play little boys and gir

_And when I think of you and all the love that__'s due  
I'll make a promise, I'll make a stand  
Cause to these big brown eyes, this comes as no surprise  
We've got the whole wide world in our hands_

_  
Love is promis__e  
Love is a souvenir  
Once given_

_Never forgotten, never let it disappear  
This could be our last chance  
When we gonna make it work ?  
Working hou__r is over_

And when I think of you and all the love that's due  
I'll make a promise, I'll make a stand  
Cause to these big brown eyes, this comes as no surprise  
We've got the whole wide world in our hands

Dinner came and went, followed by more dancing and dessert with champagne. Tommy happily received his glass flute and clinked his glass with Kim's. Zack had finally been included in the recent hospital fiasco, much to his horror. He couldn't believe the three people closest to him had failed to mention the event sooner.

Once Zack's initial shock had worn, the jokes came. As Tommy took a sip of his champagne, Zack grabbed his wrist, warning him jokingly to take it slow. The laughter was awkward at first, but slowly turned genuine as Tommy managed a few jabs at his own expense.

A conga line happened, which Zack felt obligated to indulge in. Aisha and Annie joined while Kim and Tommy sat back and observed. Jason and Billy had even been convinced to join.

Then the bullpen happened. Kim and Tommy being dragged up to their feet, along with Justin as the dancers circled up and started clapping as _The Breaks_ by Kurtis Blow began.

Zack and Rocky, surprising no one, led the charge.

"Clap you hands everybody, if you got what it takes," Rocky instructed.

"Cause we're Zack and Rocko and we want you to know, that these are the breaks!"

The circle expanded slightly as Rocky pushed folks out the way for Zack's grand entrance. Aisha rolled her eyes as Zack fell to the center of the circle and started break dancing.

"Alright, Zack!" Kim cheered, clapping along.

_Breaks on a bus brakes on a car  
Breaks to make you a superstar  
Breaks to win and breaks to lose  
But these here breaks will rock your shoes  
And these are the breaks  
_

"Break it up. Break it up. Break it up!" The crowd sang as Zack pulled Rocky into the center to begin his turn.

"If your woman steps out with another man," Rocky started.

"That's the breaks, that's the breaks," the crowd echoed.

"That's too soon, that's too soon," Kim whispered sarcastically to Tommy as he laughed hysterically, all the while clapping along to the beat.

_And she runs off with him to Japan  
_

"That's the breaks, that's the breaks."

_And the IRS says they want to chat  
_

"That's the breaks, that's the breaks."

_And you can't explain why you claimed your cat  
_

"That's the breaks, that's the breaks."

_And Ma Bell sends you a whopping bill  
_

"That's the breaks, that's the breaks."

_With eighteen phone calls to Brazil  
_

"That's the breaks, that's the breaks."

_And you borrowed money from the mob  
_

"That's the breaks, that's the breaks."

_And yesterday you lost your job  
_

"That's the breaks, that's the breaks."

_Well, these are the breaks!  
_

"Break it up, break it up, break it up!" The crowd roared again as Zack pulled Aisha and Annie into the center with them and directed them as he took on the next verse.  
_  
Throw your hands up in the sky  
And wave 'em 'round from side to side  
And if you deserve a break tonight  
Somebody say, 'alright!'_

"Alright!" Said the crowd.

"Say ho-oo!"

"Ho-oo!"

And you don't stop  
Keep on, somebody scream!

"Owwwww!" The party hollered.

"Break down!" Zack sang as he and the two women moved away for Rocky to infiltrate the center, this time grabbing Adam and Tanya with him.

_Breaks on a stage, breaks on a screen  
Breaks to make your wallet lean  
Breaks run cold and breaks run hot  
Some folks got 'em and some have not  
But these are the breaks  
Break it up, break it up, break it up!  
Break down!  
_

The mass of people laughed and cheered as Tanya and Adam did their best moves in their attire before Rocky started calling people out for the next verse. He pointed to his own sister, "To the girl in brown, stop messing around!"

"Break it up, break it up," they all answered.

Stepping up to Billy, "To the guy in blue, what'cha gonna do?"

"Break it up, break it up."

"To the girl in green, don't be so mean!" He smiled to Kim as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Break it up, break it up," Tommy said louder as he playfully shoved Rocky away as the boy turned to Jason.

"And the guy in red, say what I said,"

"Break down!" Jason and the crowd roared.

Rocky and Zack continued to lead everyone as the song went on, pulling each person into the center to embarrass them further. It was a nice distraction, and they had all been included_._

_  
Well, these are the breaks!  
Break it up, break it up, break it up!  
Break down! _

As the older guests and younger children started leaving, the music became a little raunchier, much to Annie's amusement, as she was by far the youngest guest still in attendance, minus Diego.

Jason and Tommy had barely acknowledged each other all night, though the tension was not as palpable as it had been earlier in the evening. Annie had managed to get Jason to dance with her, despite the inappropriate songs being played.

Zack was now dancing with Kim as Aisha stole Adam. Tanya took Billy happily while Kat and Justin shared a hysterical dance despite their height difference. Even at twenty two, the boy was still shorter than Kat. Tommy had somehow found himself dancing with Vanessa while Travis and Rocky jokingly tangoed across the floor.

Zack and Kim displayed their sexy but goofy selves by initiating an interpretive dance as Tom Jones' cover of _Burning Down the House_ came on.

The Police came on next, introducing Annie to a shameful glimpse at one of her elders' pastimes; skanking.

Flailing their arms and legs in a strange running in place move, Jason taught Annie a few steps while Justin followed Kat somewhat awkwardly. He was old enough to recognize the dance move, but didn't know how to perform it properly.

_Let it Whip_ by Dazz Band played next, as Adam and Tanya removed themselves from the cluster to say goodbye and thank you to a few more guests. Rocky left reluctantly to say goodbye to his sister and her family before returning to the fold and grabbing Vanessa and Travis into a group hug. Billy excused himself to the restroom as Zack and Aisha coupled up again and teased each other. Justin and Annie took a break and sat nearby, watching. Kim felt Tommy's arms wrapped around her waist from behind as they started shimmying while Kat and Jason found themselves awkwardly eyeing one another as they fell dangerously close together while the song blared across the speakers.

As the song began to fade, Kimberly sighed, fanning herself before heading to their table to grab her water. Tommy followed, humming the now slow song that played. Aisha and Zack remained dancing while Vanessa and Travis finally took off. Adam and Tanya said goodbye to the final guests until the only group left were all the former Rangers and Annie.

"Are we the last ones?" Justin wondered aloud, looking at his watch. It was almost nine.

"My parents said Ernie has taken care of the clean up," Tanya explained to Justin as she and Adam sat next to him and Annie.

"We should probably start wrapping things up, though," Adam reminded her subtly.

Tanya blushed and looked to Annie, "You didn't hear that!"

Annie giggled and smiled. She was young but she knew well enough what a bride and groom were due the evening after their wedding.

"I'm kind of tired anyway," she said with a wry grin and stood up, excusing herself.

"Oh boy," Tommy said as he looked out on the dance floor and noticed Kat and Jason still holding on, swaying to the slow song.

"Where's Billy?" Kim asked as she looked around, having noticed what Tommy had spotted.

"He's not here," Tommy said worriedly.

"Do you think he saw them?" Kim wondered.

"Well, disaster was averted for as long as it could be I suppose," Tommy sighed, "Looks like everyone's leaving anyway."

"Good. Let's get the hell out of Dodge," Kim muttered as Annie approached.

"We're heading out, pumpkin," Kim said as Annie nodded.

"Adam and Tanya were just talking about that."

"Oh yeah, time to consummate the marriage!" Tommy said wickedly as Kim slapped his chest.

"Tommy!" She seethed, motioning to Annie.

"I know what happens, mom," Annie said with a roll of her eyes. Kim's glare shifted to the young girl.

"Oh you do, do you?" Kim smirked, resting her hands on her hips.

"Not like, personally!" Annie quickly amended. Tommy cackled as Kimberly groaned, heading toward Aisha and Zack.

"We grabbed your stuff, time to splitsville," Tommy joked, handing off Zack's jacket and Aisha's purse.

"Thanks," Aisha sighed as she took her shoes off, "What a night!"

"I was just getting my second wind!" Zack whined gently.

"Boy, we both know you don't get second winds," Aisha chided him, "You get like, eighth winds!"

"Tommy, grab the cars with me?" Zack wondered as he fished inside his pocket for the keys.

Tommy nodded and sprinted ahead of the group, "We'll pick you up right outside!"

"Great, I get left behind," Kim muttered as Aisha gave her an inquisitive look.

"Kat hasn't told Billy yet, huh?" Aisha whispered to her. Kim shook her head. The woman had managed to silently mouth the extent of what had been revealed, on the dance floor. They confirmed any missed information by sneaking out to the bathroom only once during the entirety of the evening.

"Let's say goodbye to the _happy_ couple," Kim snickered as they made their way to the rest of their friends.

Jason was no longer amidst the small group, though Kat was. She and Kim exchanged tight smiles and hugged briefly before everyone else said their goodbyes and thanks.

A crash was heard outside the door, the remaining group looked up startled as Zack ran in gasping for air.

"Guys, we need your help, now!" He called out frantically. Those in the know shared the briefest of glances before everyone ran out to follow Zack.

Annie tried to peak her head out from the looming crowd as they made their way outside. Zack saw her and grabbed her hand, pulling her back, "Why don't we stay right here, okay?"

"Oh my god!"

"Tommy!"

"Jason!"

"Billy!"

Shrieks and yells were cried but barely heard as Rocky, Justin and Adam jumped into the mix. Justin helping Tommy restrain a livid Billy as Rocky and Adam held back an equally mortified Jason.

"What the hell is going on with you two?" Rocky said, jostling Jason's arm.

Tanya turned to Kat who was beside herself, crying softly, "Who told him?"

"Jason said he was coming out here to talk to him," Kat stammered in between sobs.

Kim and Aisha glared at Kat and then at each other before turning back to the men.

"Told who, what?" Adam asked.

"Zack and I were getting the cars when we saw Billy punch Jason," Tommy explained.

"What? Why?" Adam asked again, though now looking to Billy for answers.

"He's sleeping with Kat," Billy spat angrily. Tommy and Justin stumbled to hold him down.

"What?" Came half the group's reaction.

"We're not sleeping together," Kat muttered defensively.

"Jason?" Adam looked absolutely puzzled.

"Kat and I are seeing each other," he revealed for the third time that night.

"What?" Rocky said, absolutely dumbfounded.

Annie's hand tensed inside Zack's larger one. He put a consoling arm around the girl. She shouldn't be witness to this, but Zack couldn't move.

"Billy, I'm so sorry," Jason started as Kat cut him off, "We're both really sorry."

"I've dealt with worse," he said calmly before looking at Tommy and Justin, "You may release me now."

They did so as Billy brushed himself off, "I got in my punch, I feel better."

Kim and Aisha resisted a choked laugh as Billy addressed Adam and Tanya.

"Congratulations again. Have a safe and wonderful honeymoon. Sorry for the dramatics. It was good seeing _most _of you again," he said with a tiny bow before turning on his heels and abruptly walking toward the parking lot.

"I want to leave," Tanya groaned, standing flummoxed in her wedding gown.

Adam nodded obediently and gave everyone an awkward wave, "Thank you all so much for coming!"

He and Tanya returned inside, leaving the remaining nine to tie up loose ends.

Rocky let go of Jason and stepped back, allowing his predecessor to brush himself off.

Justin gave the group a sheepish smile and extended his hand toward Tommy.

"It would good to see you again," he said. Tommy nodded.

"Nice seeing you all, and meeting some of you!" the boy added before slowly walking away.

"Who's next?" Rocky clucked, shaking his head in amazement.

"We should probably get going," Aisha said, motioning between her and Kim.

"Good to see you," Rocky said with a wave before he slumped back toward the entrance. He gave Kat a vicious glare before disappearing behind the door.

"Kim, Tommy," Jason sighed as their group of five slowly started gathering their things.

"We need to get Annie home," Kim said sternly, reminding him that his niece; his goddaughter, had seen enough; heard enough.

Jason nodded and gave a hurt smile to the girl who merely stared at him questioningly.

"I'll see ya," Tommy added curtly, wrapping an arm around Kim and Annie before turning to leave.

Once alone, Kat gave Jason a solemn smile before retreating back inside to Adam and Tanya. Jason stood for a brief moment longer, rubbing his sore jaw.

_April 4__th__, 2008_

_3:28pm_

_Angel Grove Junior High_

April Fools falling on the week of midterms was some kind of divine joke in itself.

Not only were her students unprepared from Spring Break shenanigans, but they were too busy pulling pranks to care.

Tommy had been wonderful since the wedding, reigniting all the handsome prince qualities she'd been smitten with when they were teens. That was about the only thing uncomplicated at the moment. Their relationship with Jason had dwindled into brief but curt pleasantries. Kat braved a visit a week after the wedding, which was awkward at best. Annie was acting up again, though with all the immaturity her parents and their friends had displayed, Kimberly usually gave in to the girl's tantrums, figuring she owed her a few.

She finished packing up her portfolio and locked up her room, hoping the ride Annie said she'd be getting had safely delivered her home. As she turned she ran into a familiar face.

"Excuse me! Sorry!" came their simultaneous replies.

"Mason?" Kimberly squeaked out.

"Kim," he answered with a simple grin.

"How…how've you been?" She stumbled.

"Good, really good. And you? You look good," He said kindly.

"Thank you…umm, I've been well," she nodded, returning the gesture, "You look good too."

"I'm getting married in June," he said abruptly.

Kimberly did nothing to hide her surprise but blushed furiously, "Really? Wow."

"Yeah, it's kind of crazy. But I kind of have you to thank for it."

"Really?" Kim said again, now she was nervous.

"If we hadn't split up, I might not have met Emily so, thanks, I guess. I guess I'm saying thanks for breaking up with me," he laughed awkwardly.

Kim felt herself smiling despite the bizarreness of their exchange, "You're welcome?" she ventured.

"How about you? Tommy still...Tommy's his name, right? He still around?"

Now their banter could be dangerous. Kim swallowed and nodded, "Yeah, I mean, he's Annie's dad so…we're engaged too, actually."

Mason's face fell into a smirk, "I should have seen that one coming."

Kim bit her lip and shrugged, "Yeah…" she lingered.

"How's Annie?" He asked.

"She's good. I mean, she's being a total teenager right now but, she's good."

Mason laughed knowingly and smiled, "Well, I should go but, it was good to see you. You know, talk to you."

"Yeah," Kim said absently.

"Bye," he said with a wave.

"Bye," she echoed as she watched him go for a moment before heading out to her car.

_April 4__th__, 2008_

_6:50pm_

_Tommy's House_

Tommy and Kimberly were livid. For a multitude of reasons. Annie had taken it upon herself to spend the weekend with her friend Lauren without clearing it with Kim first. After waiting an hour at the house for her, fearing the worst, Kimberly called her daughter; fuming.

So after a biting conversation, in which they both hung up angrily, Kimberly gathered her things and took off to Reefside like a bat out of hell. When she showed up to inform Tommy that their daughter would not be accompanying her this trip, Tommy's already agitated state grew to monstrous proportions. He and Jason had gotten into a heated discussion about Katherine's visiting schedule, leaving the house shortly thereafter. Kimberly, upon hearing this, sided with Tommy, no question.

So there they were; a couple of enraged adults, with a house to themselves, pent up aggression and a need to expel it. It took them seven minutes to the second to decide what to do.

"Ow!" Kimberly growled as her head smacked into Tommy's headboard. She retaliated by digging her nails deep into Tommy's bare back.

He hissed angrily as his torso drew up slightly as he finished them both to a rough climax before rolling off of her and onto his back.

Both out of breath and flushed, Kim swatted him absently, "Wanna take an ice cold shower and get pizza and a movie?"

"Yes," Tommy said seriously as they both rose, naked as the day is long, and climbed into the shower.

_April 4__th__, 2008_

_8:20pm_

_Blockbuster_

"I think I have a concussion," Kimberly grumbled as she rubbed the top of head.

Tommy laughed, "Yeah well, I think you drew blood so, we're even."

"You love it," she chided playfully, giving him a wink as she turned the corner to the next row of movies.

"Oh! Can we get Ocean's Twelve and Thirteen?" Kimberly asked excitedly.

"Really? You want to see them?" Tommy asked, amused.

"You've created a monster, what can I say?" She giggled as she switched directions and headed back the way they had just come.

"You just wanna see Brad Pitt get it on with Catherine Zeta-Jones," he smirked.

"That too!" She smiled gleefully.

"We need to have angry sex more often, I'm in such a good mood right now," Tommy said matter-of-factly as he followed his petite fiancé.

"I know, right?" Kimberly agreed seriously, "I'm just pissed it wasn't each other we were mad at."

Tommy smiled at her logic, "We could make something up next time," he offered slyly.

Kimberly bit her lip, "I will seriously take that into consideration," she announced professionally as she pulled the movies off the shelf and strutted up to the counter.

Tommy whistled as she moved, catching her off guard. Her moment of cockiness fizzled and she glanced back at him blushing.

"Tommy!" she squealed.

He gave the clerk an innocent smile as the young man behind the counter laughed softly at the couple.

"Have you folks seen the first one?" He asked them, holding up the sequels.

"Like a hundred times!" Tommy said with a sigh, now scanning the candy display absently.

"These are both older films, if you want to get one more, you'll get two more for free," the man told them.

Kimberly glanced back at Tommy and silently asked what he wanted to do.

Tommy shrugged as Kim turned back to the clerk, "Can they be new releases?" She asked.

"No. But tell ya what, pick out any two new releases and I'll only charge you for those."

"Really? And we can still get these two?" She said, pointing to the Ocean films.

"Yep," he told her.

"Tommy," she turned back to him as he patiently awaited her request, "Will you grab Juno and that other one you wanted."

Tommy nodded obediently and strolled back to the far wall as Kimberly smiled at the clerk, reading his name tag.

"Thanks, Brian," she said sweetly.

"Don't mention it. Do you want any candy, popcorn or refreshments tonight?"

"What was he looking at," Kimberly mumbled as she walked over to the candy display Tommy had been perusing earlier.

Tommy returned moments later, setting two new cases down on the counter as Kimberly came back with a 2 liter of Dr. Pepper, Milk Duds, Twizzlers and Sweettarts.

"Wow, who's eating all that?" Tommy asked her with a chuckle.

"Me, mostly. You can help though."

Brian laughed as Kim unceremoniously dropped her goodies onto the counter and smiled proudly up at Tommy.

"I don't know where she puts it all," Tommy said to Brian with a laugh.

"Okay, your total is seventeen dollars and fifty two cents," he told them.

"Jesus, Kim," Tommy laughed.

"Sorry I had to charge you for all the food," Brian said with a shrug.

"Oh, who cares! Thank you for the deal on the movies," Kim said with a wave of her hand.

"You're very welcome," Brian said as he bagged up the movies and food and set them past the security gate.

"Juno and The Assassination of Jesse James are due back by Monday; and Ocean's Twelve and Thirteen are due back by Wednesday."

"Thanks again,' Kim chirped as she grabbed one bag and Tommy reached for the other.

"Have a good night folks!"

_April 4__th__, 2008_

_11:00pm _

_Tommy's House_

Tommy was seated, leaning against the back of the couch with his feet propped on the coffee table as Kimberly was lounged across the length of the sofa; her head in Tommy's lap.

They'd sped through Ocean's Twelve while they ate their pizza and decided to break the monotony by watching Juno next.

Tommy absently stroked Kim's head as she cried softly at the movie. Watching it reminded her of so many things; being pregnant with Annie at a young age, deciding what to do with the baby, fighting with her loved ones.

"This movie is so beautiful," she mumbled, wiping her face with the back of her hand.

Tommy smiled and leaned over to kiss her ear, "You're beautiful," he whispered before sitting back up.

Kim smiled through her sniffles and continued to watch the movie, relaxed and content.

"Is it weird to watch this?" Tommy asked after a moment. Kim nodded against his lap.

"What was it like, getting pregnant so young? I never asked you," he said quietly.

"We had bigger things to talk about," she reminded him.

"Were you scared? When you found out?"

"Totally," she admitted, "Trini probably wanted to kill me I was such a mess."

"She was there for the whole thing, huh?"

"From peeing on the stick to the epidural and then some," Kim said wistfully.

Tommy laughed softly, still stroking her hair, "How did it feel?"

"Giving birth?" she clarified, glancing up at him. Tommy nodded, "It sucked."

Tommy laughed heartily. "Seriously. I took drugs and it still hurt like fucking hell!"

Tommy was still laughing, grimacing as Kim sat up excitedly and crossed her legs to face him.

"I screamed for you, I screamed for Trini, for my mom, for Jason…for anybody I could think of! I was so far gone between pain and fear and excitement."

"When did you decide to name her Anneliese?" he asked, draping an arm over her shoulder. He was sad but curious to hear all the things he'd missed and hadn't thought to ask about until this very moment.

"As soon as I found out I was having a girl. My grandma's name, as you know, was Anneliese, and where I got my middle name from and all that,"

"I always thought it was perfect name for her."

"Yeah, kind of spunky but feminine and pretty without being too frilly or dainty. Kind of like her."

"What was she like as a baby?"

"Noisy and smelly. Not unlike me as a baby, I'm sure. I didn't really have many other points of reference, so all I knew was that taking care of her was way more work that I thought it should be. I was convinced for the first few months that I must be doing something wrong cause she wouldn't stop crying!"

"Babies cry," Tommy reminded her.

She stuck her tongue out, "I know that _now_," she glared playfully.

"You know, I was around babies a lot growing up. My mom being a nurse and all."

"Don't think I didn't remember that when I was taking care of her. God, all the other screwed up shit going on at the time, and all I could think was how easy it would be if you were there with me. Not only for the obvious reasons but because you probably knew more about taking care of a screaming baby than I did!"

"How was the actual pregnancy? I mean, how'd you feel?"

"Tired usually," Kim said, resting against his shoulder as he kept his arm around her.

"I had these like, binges of energy every few days a month toward the end. I was like a marathon runner. I was efficient and had an unusual amount of strength. Weird, huh?"

"Probably adrenaline rushes," Tommy suggested, "My mom said she saw a couple woman come to the hospital during their pregnancies after an adrenaline rush; freaking out that something was abnormal."

"But that's totally normal?"

"Totally," he assured her, "My mom said a woman's body naturally wants to see a pregnancy to fruition so it compensates by getting her prepped for all the energy and exertion it'll take to actually give birth."

"Wow. I really should have had you around. Those damn baby books said nothing about adrenaline rushes!"

Tommy laughed and kissed her head, "Did you gain a lot of weight?"

"Yes!" Kimberly groaned as she sat up once more, turning to face him, "My boobs were huge too! You would have loved it."

Tommy smirked and leaned over, placing a kiss to her lips, "I love them now," he whispered.

Kim shuddered as she fell back into the couch, pulling him down on top of her.

"You say that cause you didn't get to see them when they were big!" she told him seriously.

"How big could they have possibly been?" He challenged her.

"As big as your head!" She chirped.

"Wow," Tommy said with wide eyes, "Yeah, you're right. I would definitely like to see that."

Kimberly giggled as he started kissing her neck while she absently rubbed his back.

"It didn't take long to lose all the weight though," she said thankfully.

"This is where it all was," he said softly as he lifted her shirt and left a trail of kisses up her stomach.

Kim laughed at the tickling sensation before Tommy came back up to her face and kissed her lips once more.

"Wanna make another one?" He asked her seductively.

"No!" She said playfully, slapping his roaming hand away from her the waist of her sweatpants.

"Don't say that," he said suddenly turning serious. Kim looked up at him as he stayed hovered above her, hurt shining in his eyes.

"You're serious?" She asked him nervously.

"I missed so much with Annie. Don't get me wrong, I love her and I'm happy I can contribute to her life now but, I really want a kid I can raise from the beginning."

Kimberly's heart fluttered at his words, "You really want another kid?"

"I really want another one _with you_," he said.

Kimberly bit her lip and smiled wryly, "Well get to work, mister! This baby ain't gonna make itself!" She commanded, pointing crudely to her crotch.

Tommy growled and grabbed her by the waist and flipped her over. She screamed in playful protest as she wriggled underneath him, "Tommy I was kidding! Let's think about this first!"

He descended onto her lips, effectively stopping her mouth. She laughed into his mouth as he pulled away.

"You're such a good man," she said simply.

Tommy narrowed his gaze and smiled, "Okay…" he nodded, unsure how to respond.

"Not when you're dense," she rolled her eyes as he pouted causing her to laugh.

"No one's ever really said anything like that to me before. I'm not sure how to respond."

"I put us through so much bullshit by keeping Annie a secret from you and now you're here, in our lives and still want more."

"And that's good, right?" He smiled cheekily.

"Yes that's good. It's better than good, it's amazing. You're pretty amazing, you know that?"

"Well," Tommy feigned humility, looking away coyly.

"You know I wrote and performed a lot of songs about you and for you when I was down in Florida."

"Yeah, Annie mentioned it awhile back. Ani songs, right?"

"Well, some of those were angry or sad songs but, the few that I wrote were actually kind of happy."

"Do you remember any?" He asked, sitting up.

"I think I could if I tried," she said.

"Would you play me some?" he requested, "Annie's got your old guitar in her bedroom."

"I'll go get it," she told him, placing a kiss on his cheek before standing up.

Tommy cleared a space for her as she returned and adjusted in his seat. She sat on the chair and tuned the guitar for a moment, plucking at the strings until she was satisfied.

"Okay," she sighed, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, "Do you want an Ani song or a song I wrote?"

"Whatever you want," he told her brightly.

Kim bit her lip and considered her options, "Okay," she started, clearing her throat.

"I wrote this…umm, right after the letter," she said bashfully.

Tommy gave her a curious smirk and nodded, urging her to begin.

She exhaled shakily as her fingers rubbed against the strings, moving from chord to chord.

_hello, I think I'm now awake  
sorry I made the mistake of dreaming it was you__e, the time keeps slippin away_

goodbye, to that castle in the sky  
to my prince from lives gone by  
I guess it was just a lie

the time, the tim

true love the idealistic daydream  
close my eyes cause it's only when I'm asleep  
lay me down idealistic daydream  
forever counting your sheep  
I just want to go back to sleep

_so I ask you now  
how'd you take my breath away  
how'd you touch my soul that day  
never intending to stay_

the time, the time, the time keeps slippin away

She removed her hands from the strings, a metallic squeak as she swallowed nervously, awaiting his response.

"Play another one," he directed softly. She bit her lip and smiled.

"This one's called Hour Follows Hour."

_Hour follows hour  
Like water follows water  
Everything is governed by the rule  
Of one thing leads to another  
You can't really place blame  
Cause blame is much to messy  
Some was bound to get on you  
While you were tryin to put it on me_

Don't fool yourself  
Into thinking things are simple  
Nobody's lying still the stories don't line up  
Why do you try to hold on  
To what you'll never get a hold on  
You wouldn't try to put the ocean  
In a paper cup

Cause I have had something to prove  
As long as I know there's something  
That needs improvement  
And you know that every time I move  
I make a woman's movement  
And first you decide  
What you've gotta do  
Then you go out and do it  
And maybe the most we can do  
Then you go out and do it  
And maybe the most we can do  
Is just to see each other through it

Hour follows hour like water in a river  
And from one to the next we don't know  
What each hour will deliver  
We just call it like we see it  
Call it out loud as we can  
And then afterwards we call it all water  
Over the dam

Maybe the moral high ground  
Isn't as high as it seems  
Maybe we are both good people  
Who've done some bad things  
I just hope it was okay  
I know it wasn't perfect  
I hope in the end we can laugh  
And say it was all worth it

Cause I have had something to prove  
As long as I know something  
That needs improvement  
And you know that every time I move  
I make a woman's movement  
And first you decide what you've gotta do  
Then you go out and do it  
And maybe the most that we can do  
Is just to see each other through it

We make our own gravity  
To give weight to things  
Then things fall and they break  
And gravity sings  
We can only hold so much is what I figure  
We try and keep our eye on the big picture  
And the picture keeps getting bigger

Too much is how I love you  
But too well is how I know you  
And I've got nothing to prove this time  
Just something to show you  
I guess I just wanted you to see  
That it was all worth it to me

"Ani?" Tommy guessed as Kimberly nodded, "One more?"

Kimberly's eyes went wide as she sighed, it was more emotionally taxing than she thought it'd be, but seeing how invested Tommy was gave her the strength to continue.

"Umm, this is another Ani song. I learned it after we saw each other at Trini's funeral," she explained, "I've actually never played this one in front of anybody before so…"

She cleared her throat once more and slowly strummed along, her voice shaking as she started.

_I'm sorry I didn't sound more excited on the phone  
I'm sorry that after all these years  
I've left you feeling unrequited and alone  
Brought you to tears_

I guess I never loved you quite as well  
As the way you loved me  
I guess I'll never really be able to tell you  
How sorry I am

I don't know what it is about you  
I just know it's not what it was  
I don't know why red fades before blue  
It just does

And I don't know what it is about me  
That I just can't keep still  
I keep thinking some day  
I will make this all up to you  
And maybe someday I will

I guess I never loved you quite as well  
As the way you loved me  
I guess I'll never really be able to tell you  
How sorry I am

She plucked the last string before quieting the hum with her palm. She avoided Tommy's gaze, tears burning her eyes.

"Wow," he whispered.

She nodded, though remained fascinated by the floor, "I've wanted to sing that to you for a long time."

"Yeah," he muttered.

"Umm, you still wanna make another baby?" She asked sheepishly, looking up to face him.

The smallest smile crept onto Tommy's face as he beckoned her to his lap. She bit her lip and set the guitar on the chair, crawling onto the couch and burying herself in his embrace.

"Thank you for sharing those with me," he said, kissing the top of her head, "I'm sorry I made you relive all that."

"No, it was good. I needed it," she told him softly.

They sat in quiet contemplation for awhile, enjoying the warmth of each other and the soothing effects of their breathing.

"Did I sing Rick Astley at the bar?" He suddenly asked.

Kimberly burst into a fit of laughter as Tommy joined, rattling against his chest as he held her closer, breaking their comfortable silence until they both finally fell asleep on the sofa, snuggled together.

**AN: Whew! So much, so much! Songs (in order of appearance) not already credited were; **_**Sea of Love by Phil Phillips, A Little Less Conversation by Elvis Presley, Advice for the Young at Heart by Tears for Fears, Counting Sheep by Amy Jo Johnson, and Sorry I am by Ani Difranco**_**. Catch ya on the flipside!**


	39. Worthy

_**Pulse **_

_**AN: Sorry it's been slower between chapters than I intended. This chapter was originally twice the length it is now, so expect a quick update after this one. Refresh if you need to. Last chapter ended with a bit of fluff, this one may not. Please read and Review. Enjoy.**_

_**Chapter 39**_

_**Worthy**_

_April 19th, 2008_

_6:20pm_

_Tommy's House_

For the past two weeks, Annie hadn't heard the end of skipping out on her trip to Reefside; from both Kimberly and her father. Currently seated at the kitchen table with Tommy while Kimberly ran out to pick up dinner, she could see in his face that he was about to bring it up again when Jason unknowingly saved her by entering the kitchen.

"Umm, bro," Jason started. It was the first real acknowledgement the man had given his friend since the wedding fiasco.

Tommy looked up, startled to hear Jason's voice directed at him.

"The exterminator's coming by the house tomorrow to spray," the former red Ranger told him.

"I know, I called," Tommy said, more defensively than he meant to.

"Right; and they called me to confirm when they couldn't get a hold of you," Jason explained further.

"So?"

"They're gonna need to spray the _basement_ too," Jason added, injecting as much casualness into his voice as he could muster.

Tommy shot his friend a stern look and quickly interpreted his implication.

"I'll make sure it's straightened up," Tommy spoke in code.

"We have a basement?" Annie suddenly chimed in.

"Yep, sure do," Tommy said with a nervous laugh.

"Cool, what's down there, can I see it?"

"Umm, just some exercise equipment but, your dad should probably clean it up first," Jason assuaged her.

"Is it that door in the hallway that's always locked?" Annie furthered her curiosity, ignoring Jason's advice.

"Yep," Tommy said through gritted teeth. This conversation was already making him uneasy.

"Why is it locked?"

"Just a safety issue," Jason supplied.

"Why?" The young girl prodded some more. Tommy looked liked he wanted to punch the wall. What was it with kids and asking repetitive questions to stir a parent's ire?

"Cause it's messy and dark and I don't want anyone hurting themselves on the way down," Tommy said exasperatedly.

"Can't you put lights down there?" Annie asked as if it was the most obvious solution.

"It has lights," Jason informed her, adding supplemental information where he could.

"Just…I just…it's just kind of a wreck and I don't use it that much so I keep it locked," Tommy fumbled as his frustration grew.

"Why?"

"Annie!" Jason warned.

She looked at her uncle with despair, "I could help clean up?" She offered, trying to right her incessant accusations.

"No," Tommy said adamantly. "I'll take care of it."

"Well, can I see it when it_ is_ cleaned up?" She finally conceded.

"Of course," he said with a sigh. The girl nodded happily, seemingly satisfied with this answer.

"Can I go to my room now?" She wondered.

"Yes, you may."

Tommy sent Jason a concerned look as Jason watched the young girl walk out of earshot. Once he'd heard her door close, Jason turned to his friend.

Of all the things to bond them together again; hiding Tommy's career long collection of Ranger paraphernalia from his twelve year old daughter was the last thing he'd imagined.

Though there had been a silent and lingering animosity with which Jason had helped him evade Annie's inquisition, he knew the man in red would never intentionally reveal anything. Frayed current friendship notwithstanding, Jason had far too much honor and respect to go against his former mentor's number one creed of identity secrecy.

But the conversation had rattled Tommy. Her persistence in seeing the contents of the basement had him deeply concerned. What he wouldn't give for a 'normal' problem to arise by raising a teenaged girl.

"I have to show Kim," Tommy said with finality.

"What?"

"I have to show Kim the basement," Tommy clarified.

"_Kim doesn't know?"_ Jason stared at him dumbfounded.

Tommy sighed and rubbed his head, "She knows I still have a huge collection of stuff but, where I keep it? That it's all been, _literally_, under her nose this whole time? No."

"Wow," Jason muttered as he sank into a chair.

"I know," Tommy sighed once more, dropping to his seat as well.

Jason laughed suddenly, "You think Kim's gonna be mad?"

"She's gonna be mad I didn't tell her _until now_."

The two men shared a nervous but knowing laugh; one they hadn't shared in quite awhile. Though Tommy had told himself he wouldn't mention anything unless Jason prompted, he couldn't help but wonder if they were ever going to talk about the wedding.

A few moments of tense silence passed before Jason spoke up. "I'm sorry about the wedding."

Yes they were. And evidently, _right now_.

"I know," Tommy said with a slow nod, giving Jason a guarded but genuine smile.

"I have a feeling I'm gonna be saying that for a long time," Jason laughed bitterly.

"I'm not mad anymore, Jase," Tommy spoke quietly. "I know you're sorry. You're not a bad guy….you've just made some…._bad choices_….lately…"

Jason nodded, "I know," he said with a sad smile. "Billy's got a pretty strong right hook."

Tommy grinned with pride before his smile faded and turned to face Jason seriously. "Be lucky that's all you got."

"No doubt," Jason said with a regretful sigh.

Tommy exhaled loudly and clasped his hands together, "Ya know…and I don't even know if I really _want_ to know what I'm about to ask but….how are you and Kat?"

Jason gave Tommy a cautionary glance before responding, "We're good," he said humbly.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Jason repeated more firmly this time, "We're good, we're really good. We're great…..you know, despite everything."

"You happy?"

"Yeah. I really am," Jason said without pause.

"She happy?"

Jason considered his words before answering, "Kat's…._yes_. Yes. She…she feels guilty. Not that _I _don't…it's just….like I said, we're both gonna be saying sorry for a long time."

Tommy nodded as he began to sympathize with his friend's dilemma; though one nagging question still hung in the air.

"I gotta ask, bro….and I promised myself if we ever talked about this I'd leave you alone but, I just…gotta know…..why'd you lie?"

Jason nodded. He knew he'd have to supply the information to someone. Tommy was as good as anyone.

"Cause I guess I didn't want everyone thinking I was a scumbag. Which, ya know, as it turns out, everyone thinks I am anyway…so…I only dodged that bullet for a little while. Kat's bearing the brunt of this worse than I am, though."

"I'll bet," Tommy said with an affirming nod. "Have you either of you talked to Billy since?"

"Kat's tried."

"And?"

"She can't get a hold of him. He won't talk to her. Can't say I blame him."

"She will," Tommy assured him. "And so will you. You guys were friends long before Kat ever showed up."

"Yeah…"

"You just gotta give it time. Billy's pretty hurt."

"I know," Jason echoed the curt statement for the hundredth time. Suddenly Tommy released a low chuckle.

"You know something funny? You remember that Christmas that Kimberly came home?"

"From training?" Jason clarified.

"Yeah," Tommy continued. "I remember everyone was dancing. Billy was just staring at Kat…she was dancing with Adam I think… and I remember asking him what was up with the two of them. Well, Billy; in his techno-speak…says something to the effect of…'I like her, I don't know if she likes me like that' and ya know…I just kind of laugh and shrugged and told him, 'You never know. See how things play out' and then, what? Six…seven months later…"

"_You're_ dating Kat," Jason finished his thought.

Tommy nodded with a snicker, "I didn't think much of it at the time…I mean, this whole situation's what made me even think of it again but…"

"Billy didn't hate you?" Jason guessed at Tommy's point.

"Yeah. I mean, maybe there was more animosity between us than I was aware of but, _if_ there was, Billy never showed it. My point is, he obviously got over it; never held anything against me, and things went on like they were supposed to."

"Yeah but, Billy and Kat weren't dating when you started dating Kat," Jason reminded him guiltily.

"I'm not saying the situation's the same I just mean…for me to give Billy advice about Kat and then turn around and start dating her myself…that had to have stung a little."

"I get it, it's gonna take time….I just…Kat and I are happy I just…I just wish we could get on with our lives a little sooner, ya know? Depsite what everybody thinks, we're not. I'm sure everyone thinks we've completely washed our hands of this and we've just gone about our way but we haven't."

"You really like her?"

"Yeah," Jason said with more life than his previous statements had seen. "I really do. I've liked her for awhile. I mean, I've always thought she was cute, even when you two were dating but, I didn't think much of it, ya know? Still had Trini around. I don't know…

"Yeah," Tommy said thoughtfully.

"All I know is, if this turns into something more…" Jason gave his friend a pleading look. "Please promise me you'll remind me not to make the same mistake I made with Trini."

"Think you're in love with Kat?

"I don't know…I'm not...I don't…no. No, not yet. I _like_ her. I like her _a lot_. I don't know about love…we'll see. But if I do…just...I don't want to make the same mistake I made with Trini," Jason repeated with a sigh.

"I hear ya," Tommy said quietly. Silently affirming he'd keep his promise if that day ever came.

"Thanks," Jason said after a moment.

"For what?"

"For just listening. And not…still hating my guts. Which I know Kim does."

"Kim doesn't hate your guts," Tommy dismissed Jason's ludicrous claim.

"Pretty close," Jason begged to differ.

"She's _mad_ at you that's for sure," Tommy gave in. "It's gonna take her a second to get over this. She's …I think she's mad for the same reasons I'm mad at you…_was_ mad…

"Are you _sure_ you're not still mad at me?" Jason eyed him carefully.

"I'm gonna razz you for quite a while, you know that right?

"Yeah I know," Jason snickered.

"I think she's still mad cause you lied. Ya know? You guys had that drag out fight months ago where she all but _found_ you and Kat together, and _to her face_ you said 'No, nothing's going on'."

"Well, technically nothing was…at the time."

"That's not the point Jase," Tommy reprimanded, his tone turning more serious. "Come on man. Not after this conversation, don't give me that. I completely defended you, she swore up and down that something wasn't right, that she didn't want to _not_ believe you but she just couldn't…she really felt like something fishy was going on and I insisted she was blowing things out of proportion….and then we got into it….then….Jesus…that fucking night at the bar!" Tommy recalled the last sentence with anguish.

Jason's defensive posture softened as he too remembered what Kim had told him.

"Yeah, Kim told me about that…by the way," he admitted guiltily as Tommy's shameful glance indicated he hadn't realized Jason would understand his reference.

"I mean, I wish the circumstances under which she'd told me had been…better," Jason continued sadly. "I wish we'd had better communication about it but, how are you doing, man? Are you okay? I never even got to talk to you about that."

Tommy shook his head and practically growled out his own disappointment. "Yea I'm alright. I'm fine. I was never a big drinker anyway… and I'm certainly not about to make a habit of it. I don't know what made me…Kim and I have fought before ya know? Evil spell or not, I mean, we fight, that happens. It was just…_a month_. _Straight_. _Of not getting along_ and I just needed to not think about it and not care for one day."

'Yeah," Jason said quietly.

Tommy's eyes were watery as his scattered recollections of that night replayed in his head. "Jesus…the shit I must have put her through."

"If I know Kim," Jason reasoned, "As mad as she was at you, I'm sure the only thing going through her mind was figuring out a way to make sure you were okay."

"Yeah," Tommy agreed humbly before smiling as he thought of the aftermath. "She did lay into me though, once she knew I was gonna live."

Jason snickered. "She wouldn't be Kim if she hadn't."

Tommy managed a laugh. "I had it coming. We were already in a fight and then I went off and did that jack ass move," he shook his head in embarrassment. "Man, she went easy on me."

"You and me both," Jason said with a snort, "She called me out at the wedding."

"I know, she told me," Tommy said with knowing smirk as he finally stood up and crossed to the fridge, fishing out two sodas for them.

"I can't believe she stayed out of it!" Jason said with an appreciative nod as Tommy handed him the beverage and laughed.

"I'm serious! I mean, you know I don't mean any disrespect by that; she's concerned and she cares…but she can be a little nosey sometimes, a little too persistent but, she means well. But I was really surprised…I mean; she called me out, she knew what was happening and I was so tired of lying to her and lying about everything, that I just gave in and nodded to whatever she implied and let her know that she was right and she took off and evidently calmed herself down. I don't know if I should thank _you_ for that…"

"I talked her but it was all her own doing," Tommy assured him. "I was really proud of her. She'd pretty much made her mind up after that moment. This was one was out of bounds. This one was…well, this was a _big_ one and she knew better. She knew it wasn't her place to say anything."

"Yeah, I'm glad she didn't," Jason said earnestly. "To be honest, I think that's the only reason Billy threw one hit."

Tommy chuckled, "Yeah I think so too."

"I think there was a still a tiny shred of respect for having the balls to say something to his face," Jason added. "He didn't even approach Kat but, I'm sure there were a few choice words he wanted to call her. And I know it seems like I got it worse, cause I got _punched_ but, Billy's taking it out on Kat for the both of us by not talking to her at all."

"Naturally," Tommy said wisely as Jason gave him a curious look. Tommy continued,

"The blindside is there cause you're his friend and there's a code or whatever but, even if you weren't his friend the girlfriend card's gonna trump everything. The fact that his _girlfriend_ cheated on him automatically relegates you to 'the other man' status. But then you went beyond that and lied about it….made up some other guy…"

Jaosn held his hands up, pleading with his friend to stop talking, "I get it. Please, don't rehash it. I know what I did."

"I'm glad we're talking again," Tommy said suddenly, effectively dropping the subject.

"Me too," Jason said with a heavy sigh.

"Thank god. I was about to have to ask Zack to be my best man," Tommy laughed.

Jason's eyes suddenly widened in remembrance, "Yeah, that's right. What…what about you guys? You and Kim? You're engaged!"

"Yeah," Tommy said with a bashful grin.

"Sorry I haven't been more supportive," Jason offered with a bow of the head, "I'm really happy for you guys. I've just been…hiding…these past few months….so….congratulations."

"Thanks," Tommy said genuinely.

"Do you guys know when you're gonna do it?"

"No," Tommy told him simply. "We talked briefly but, I don't know….I don't want it to be too soon but I don't want to wait much longer. I finally worked up the nerve to ask her to marry me and now the ring's just kind of sitting there…waiting."

"Think Kim's getting antsy?" Jason considered.

"I think she's getting a _little_ antsy," Tommy amended. "She's been pretty cool about the whole thing. I know she's excited and I know she wants to be married sooner rather than later. But I want to give her everything she wants…..and if it's too soon I don't know if I can make that happen…realistically. But I don't want to make her wait much longer, either. I also don't think it's really kicked in yet that Kim and I are gonna get married."

"Yeah," Jason sang knowingly.

"I mean…_Kim_…._Kimberly_…_Me_ _and Kimberly_….are gonna get _married_. I want it to be perfect. I need it to be perfect."

Jason smacked a jovial hand on the table, "It will be, no matter what. Cause it's you and Kim!" He reported adamantly. "And if you still want me to, I'd be honored to be your best man," Jason added a bit softer.

"Yes," Tommy said firmly.

"Is Billy gonna be a groomsman?" Jason wondered, he just had to know.

"Yep," Tommy told him hesitantly.

"Yeah…I'd probably wait on the wedding then," Jason rubbed his jaw slowly as he spoke.

"Tomorrow or next year, I'm not stalling my wedding for you. You too are just gonna have to work it out!" Tommy squawked cheekily.

"Is Kat gonna be a bridesmaid?" Jason further questioned.

Tommy shrugged, "I don't know. I don't think Kim wants to her to be one….not for any other reason than they've just never been _that_ close. And after this whole thing, I don't know….That'll be awkward. Even if you and Billy _do_ reconcile…that's still gonna be awkward."

Jason nodded absently and took a swig of his soda.

"Aisha's gonna be her maid of honor, I can put money on that. She doesn't know Tanya that well and Tanya didn't put herin_ her_ wedding; which Kim's bizarrely sore about…_still._ She's not even close to Tanya!"

"Yeah, she's weird. Girls are weird," Jason said flippantly, waving away Tommy's comment to assure him the notion was silly.

"So Kim will have…Aisha and…I don't know, Annie?"

"I mean if it was me, I could sort out my groomsmen by who I served with but…that wouldn't be so easy for you, would it?" Jason jabbed mockingly.

"No it wouldn't!" Tommy gave a hearty laugh, "I'd have like, fifteen groomsmen if I did that!"

Jason laughed, "Well you could! I mean it'd look a little uneven if Kim has two or three people standing on her side and you've got a whole swat team on yours. Who else are you gonna have?"

"You, of course. Zack, Billy, maybe Adam. Rocky…I guess…." Tommy listed names mindlessly. Other than Jason really, he hadn't given the wedding party much thought.

"Do you guys want a big wedding?"

"I don't know. I know Kim wants….you know, I don't think I even know what Kim wants!" Tommy told him with a laughter laden sigh.

"Maybe you should ask her," Jason gave him a stern look.

"You think?" Tommy accused him sarcastically. "I always assumed she wanted—"

"A fairytale wedding?" Jason interjected.

"Yeah," Tommy said with a slow nod. He shook off his frustration and aimed his gaze as Jason, "This is stressing me out. I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Fine," Jason said with one firm nod as he stood from his seat and knocked back the rest of his soda before wandering out into the living room. "Talk to Kim first about how you've been hoarding years worth of Ranger shit in your basement."

Tommy snickered as he too stood and moved over to the sink to rinse out the used dishes before Kim returned home with the food. "No doubt, this whole wedding discussion might be a moot point," he called back after Jason. "She's gonna kill me."

"She's not gonna kill you," Jason waved away the thought.

"She will if Annie finds out first," Tommy reminded him.

Jason returned to the room and clasped a sympathetic hand on Tommy's shoulder. "Well then, look at it this way, if something _were_ to happen and Annie _were_ to somehow find out…you guys could have a ranger themed wedding. Problem solved," he finished with a chuckle.

"Huh," Tommy considered. "That's actually not a bad idea."

Jason tossed his can into the recycling bin and turned to give his friend a stern look, "I was kidding."

"It could be kind of fun. We could come dressed in our colors," Tommy suggested.

"Yeah but, which one you gonna choose, bro?" Jason asked as he yawned and stretched. "I mean, the_ bride's_ supposed to wear the white."

"_Virginal_ brides wear white," Tommy reminded him with a wry smile.

Jason's hands shot up to his ears and face as he grimaced, "Hey, hey, hey! I didn't need to be reminded of that!"

"Oh shut up," Tommy frowned as he threw a paper towel at the man in red.

"Look, I know I'm technically not blood but I am unofficially the brother from another mother and that word is bond. And even though _I know _what goes on between you two doesn't mean I have to hear about it," Jason scolded before muttering under his breath, "Making….whoopee with my little sister."

Tommy caught the last phrase and howled loudly, "Making whoopee?"

"I'm sure you've already got the honeymoon figured out?" Jason accused disgustedly.

"Of course, that part's easy," Tommy said with a wink.

As their laughter subsided, Jason leaned against the archway and crossed his arm to his chest. "Kim's not gonna be mad that I'm not staying for dinner is she?"

Tommy shook his head, "She'll be too busy ripping my head off about the basement."

Jason laughed as he started for his room, "You gonna tell her tonight?"

"Might as well. If those guys are coming tomorrow, I should probably warn her just in case."

"Good luck, bro," Jason said with a snort as he waved to Tommy before departing to him room.

_April 19__th__, 2008_

_10:56pm_

_Tommy's House_

"What?"

"Yep," Tommy said with a sheepish smile.

Kimberly's face was frozen in utter shock. Her eyes were wide, her mouth hung open like she'd just tasted something despicable.

"Where…what…did you…when…how…"

Tommy stifled a laugh at Kim's incoherence.

"Where in the basement?" She finally muttered.

"The whole basement," Tommy admitted.

Kimberly's eyes somehow grew wider, "The _whole _basement?" She balked, "The entire width of _this_ house's basement is a trove of Ranger shit?"

Tommy nodded as he chewed his tongue nervously.

"Oh my God," she sighed, mindlessly collapsing onto the bed. Tommy came over and sat beside her when she started to cry.

"Beautiful," he started, reaching out a hand before she smacked it away.

"Oh, don't pull that 'beautiful' bullshit with me! I need to process this. I'm not crying cause I'm sad, I'm crying cause I'm overwhelmed."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," he decided to say instead.

"Does Jason know?" She asked despite already knowing what he'd say.

"Yes," he confessed quietly.

Kimberly scoffed and crossed her arms, "You told Jason but not me?"

"It's not like I lied to you!" He pleaded, "I just didn't think to tell you!"

"I want to see it," She directed, giving him every indication that this was not a request.

Tommy grimaced but nodded pathetically, "Of course," he conceded.

"Now," she added.

Tommy stared at her aghast and held up his hands; defenseless. "Now?"

"Has _Jason _seen it?" She inquired bitterly as Tommy rolled his eyes and stood up, grabbing her by the wrist and dragging out of his bedroom.

"Watch your step," he told her quietly as he locked the door behind them and flipped on the light, guiding her down the narrow stairwell.

The room at the base of the steps was an ordinary basement, stone walls and an asphalt floor. Though Jason hadn't been lying when he'd explained to Annie that there'd been exercise equipment; this room made way for a punching bag hanging in the far corner, blue workout mats padding the ground beneath it and overstretching into the center. An exercise bike, a treadmill, a chin up bar, free weights and barbells all lining the perimeter.

"Where's the real room?" Kimberly asked as she slid a finger absently along one of the apparatuses. If nothing else, she wished she'd known about this room so she could have been using it. It was a perfectly designed space to workout in. The underground location kept it peaceful and breezy for the California weather.

Tommy cleared his throat and motioned to the far right wall at the base of the stairs. She looked closer and realized a door had been fashioned into the façade, making it nearly undetectable.

"A secret door?" She eyed him skeptically.

"Safety measure," he reasoned as he pushed into the frame and slid the heavy barrier into the track inside the wall, revealing the first of three rooms.

Kimberly's astonished gaze returned as she gaped at the wall to wall electronic gadgetry and techno consoles. Flat screen monitors lined three of the concrete surfaced walls, while the one at the end, made of glass, remained bare; save for the sliding door that obviously led to another room.

"What is all this stuff?" She wondered, suddenly feeling as though she'd traveled back to that fateful day when she'd been precariously dropped inside the command center for the first time.

"It's used mostly for surveillance now," Tommy explained, pointing to a collection of computer boards. "Billy salvaged a lot of this stuff after the command center was destroyed the first time. But some of it, Zordon and Alpha let me have."

"Wow," she shook her head in disbelief.

"You ready to see the next room?" He offered, bestowing his hand as she absently took it while stumbling after him.

"This is where the good stuff is," he said with a smirk as he slid the glass door and flipped on the light.

Kimberly shrieked as she saw five original, spandex outfits; all encased inside glass chambers with the addition of two more; Tommy's green and white ones.

She ran up to the pink one and ghosted her hand along the glass, wanting to touch the dear costume. "Oh my God," she cooed. "It looks in better condition than when I first got it."

"Now these," Tommy started, gesturing to the wall of outfits, "I had to practically beg for."

"How did you…"she tried to ask but failed. She was too stunned to complete her thought. Tommy did it for her.

"We'd had them inside the new Power Chamber during our Zeo chapter. I think Zordon liked having them around. When Dimitria took over during Turbo, before I left…Alpha 5 was still there and I asked him if I could take them with me. He was skeptical at first but after I nearly vowed on my life, he let me take them. It was a new era anyway. Zordon was gone…I thought the armor his Rangers wore should make room for the new. Alpha even ran them through some sort of Eltarian elixir substance so they'd look brand new."

"They look impeccable!" She sighed, shaking her head as she walked along the wall to view the others.

"Over here," he directed her attention to the center of the room to a large metal podium and lifted the latch, "We have replicas of the original power coins and Zeonizers and…Jason's actual, though now defunct, morpher."

Kimberly gave a slight chuckle as she stared into the box. "Why only Jason's?"

"Everyone else kept there's and I keep mine in a hidden box upstairs. Jason offered to keep his down here. For posterity," he explained.

"Oh, I wish I still had mine," she whined as she bit her lip.

Tommy ran a tender hand through her hair before leading her to another display. She smiled widely as he gestured to a long row of pictures hanging on the wall. Publicity photos mostly, of the six original rangers when Tommy had still been green in full helmet and costume. They slowly chronicled the change from green to white, and then when the black, red and yellow Rangers had shifted. There were even a few from his turn during Zeo and Turbo. Though the one that caught her eye was of her era, when the pink Ranger had changed.

"That's Kat in that photo, isn't it?" She asked, though she knew by the height difference and the slight disconnect from the white Ranger that the previous photos held, that it was.

If one had known the true identities of these heroes, you could almost follow the trajectory of Kim and Tommy's relationship. Obviously, the photo where Tommy had yet arrived, Kimberly stood boldly between Zack and Jason. Then, when the green Ranger had first joined them; he stood slightly off the side of the cluster, though near _her._

Then, as the photographs marked the final days of his green saga; the two Rangers could be seen, though unrecognizably, standing extremely close together. Of course, the penultimate picture was one taken upon the white Ranger's first public appearance.

The Rangers had fought an incredible battle; and the city celebrated. Snapping a few glorified poses for the archives, the white Ranger's arm was curiously and affectionately draped over the pink one's. And while the new leader's other arm was too resting on the red Ranger's shoulder, the hand that begot the arm on the pink Ranger was clutching protectively. _Possessively_. Kim smiled as she regarded the image. She wondered if Tommy had even realized the gesture had been forever captured on film.

"You've sure managed quite the shrine, haven't you?" She quipped as he came up beside her and wrapped his arm around her, mirroring his pose in the photo she was viewing.

"Do you think people knew we were dating?" Tommy wondered aloud. Her own question as to whether or not he'd been aware of his body language while morphed had been answered.

"You mean as Rangers? She asked him.

"The pink and white one were always together," he reminded himself more than her.

"I think people forgot we _were actually people_ under there," she told him with a snort. "I don't think they even considered two of us being romantically involved."

"There's one more thing I want to show you," he said quietly, offering up his hand once again.

Kimberly followed eagerly as he slid open another glass panel and led them into the third and final room.

If she'd thought the last two spaces had been shocking, this room was a goddamn revelation. All six shark cycles her team had obtained toward the end of her run stood proudly against the nearest wall, parked in a row. On the opposite side, Tommy's Zeo costume was encased like the others had been in the second room. But what stood directly before her was glorified and captivating but somewhat disturbing and scary.

Painted along the entire ten foot wall was a rendered mural of a very rare and once in a lifetime photo that Alpha, of all…_people_…had taken. She knew the memory well. Right after the six of them; Jason, Trini, Zack, Billy, herself and Tommy in green, had been bestowed their new Thunderzords. It was after their very first and very successful victory against their newest adversary, Lord Zedd. Zordon allowed the photo as long as the print remained at the command center. Beaming with pride, the six elated teens each cradled their helmets under one arm and formed a line of toothy grins for the camera.

"You do realize that this could totally incriminate us for the rest of our lives," she said with a disbelieving shake of the head as she motioned to the wall.

Tommy just smiled and shrugged, "Why do you think I keep it in the last room?"

"How did you convince Alpha on _this _one?" Kimberly wondered, "I thought the photo was never allowed outside of the command center."

"Truthfully?" He started, shoving his hands into his pockets and shooting her a guilty smile. "I swiped it."

"Tommy Oliver!" She scolded as she smacked his chest. He laughed and grabbed her hands, forcing her into his embrace.

They swayed for a moment as she feigned anger before he bowed his head and kissed her softly. She put up little resistance as his mouth melted into hers. She moaned softly as his arms loosened about her, his hands finally resting low on her hips. She snaked her arms around his neck as his lips now moved down to her neck.

"Wanna have sex down here?" He whispered boldly, flicking her ear with his tongue.

Kimberly laughed through her moan, "In front of a ten foot replica of my own face? No thank you."

Tommy's laughter tickled her throat as he made no move to stop his ministrations.

"Where'd you say you got the computer console from?" She panted as his tongue trailed along her neck while his roving hands now firmly massaged her backside.

"The. Command. Center," he breathed between kisses.

"Let's have sex in there," she told him seriously. He growled hungrily as he hoisted her up and allowed her to wrap her legs around him before carrying them off into the first room.

_April 20__th__, 2008_

_12:30pm_

_Tommy's House_

"A Halloween wedding?"

"I didn't say Halloween, I said in _October_," Tommy reminded her.

"But what's special about October except Halloween?"

"Kim, we've been over this. If you want to get married this year, then October's our best bet. School's still in session in May, you're moving in June, July's too hot, we start school again in August, it can't be September cause we don't want to overshadow Annie's birthday, and November and December see holidays."

"You been practicing that speech?" Kim gave him a smirk.

Tommy rolled his eyes, "Next year it is then."

"No, no, no!" She cried, running over to him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I want to get married this year!"

"Well then?"

"Well then," she echoed tightly, stretching her jaw as the Biore pore strips she'd placed on her chin began to harden, "I guess we better start planning."

"I can't take anything you say seriously with those things on your face."

Kim smacked him playfully as she picked at the gauze, "I cad moof my mowf," she mumbled.

Tommy shook his head as Jason entered the kitchen sleepily. Rubbing his eyes, he took one look at Kim and screamed.

"JESUS CHRIST! What happened to you face?"

Tommy snickered and gave Kim a pointed look, "Told you so."

"Morning sunshine," Tommy added as he carried his mug out toward the basement door, patting Jason on the back as he did so.

"Where you going?" Jason questioned.

"Downstairs," he motioned with his head, "Exterminator will be here at three. I've got to figure out a way to hide anything I don't want them to see."

Jason turned to look at Kim, though it was difficult with her ridiculous beauty regimen currently in place. The manner in which Tommy spoke about the basement led him to understand she was included in Tommy's cryptic speech.

"You know, then?" He asked her.

Kim nodded. Tommy bid them farewell and proceeded down the stairs, locking the door behind him.

Jason turned back to step further into the kitchen and proceeded to pour himself a cup of coffee.

The painful sound of cloth ripping made his head turn. To the tune of Kimberly's yelps he remained watching her peel off the three bandages she's purposely endured plastered to her visage.

"What the hell are those things?" He asked.

His all too familiar demeanor did not impress Kim. _They_, unlike he and Tommy, had not made peace with Jason's recent indiscretions. She stared back at him wildly, as if he dare engage her in mundane conversation.

"They clean your pores," she told him curtly, her speech now unhindered as she moved to the trash can to dispose of the used strips.

"I think I liked you better when you couldn't talk," he snapped and instantly regretted it.

Kimberly shot him a deadly glare. "Oh, someone's testy this morning," she taunted meanly. "Trouble in paradise?"

Jason bit his tongue to keep from putting her in her place, not that he had any right to. She was justified in her anger toward him, though it hurt to know she still hadn't forgiven him.

"Not that you care but, no actually," he said somewhat smugly. "Kat and I are fine."

Kimberly's face turned to disgust, "You're right. I don't care," she balked as she made a move to leave the kitchen before Jason grabbed her arm.

"Let go of me," she warned.

"When are you gonna stop being mad at me?" he fired at her.

"When I stop being mad at you," she shot back as he relinquished her arm.

"Tommy forgave me!" He reminded her pathetically as he crossed back to the counter.

Kimberly crossed her arms, "Whatever would you do if your hetero life mate stayed mad at you!"

Jason slammed his mug on the counter and spun around to face her, "Now you're just being a bitch."

"Well Jase, somebody's got to remind you that there are consequences for your actions. This is yours. You've lost my respect and my friendship."

Jason piked toward her, though remained across the room. "I didn't even do anything to you!"

"You lied to my face, Jason!" Kim shouted.

"I was protecting Kat!" He spat back.

"When you should have been protecting Billy!"

"I made a mistake, alright? I made a huge mistake by going about it the way I did but I can't change it and I won't. I like Katherine and I can't help that. And I respect her too much to—"

"But you don't respect me?" Kim challenged.

"I never said that."

"No, you_ proved_ it when you lied to me!"

"Is that why you're still mad? Cause I lied? Well then, I'm sorry, Kim! I'm sorry I lied about everything!"

"It's too late for sorry! And for the record, yes, I am still mad that you lied. But I'm more mad that you even pulled this shit in the first place!"

"I can't—"

"I know! I heard you! You can't change anything. But how dare you stand there and tell me that you and Kat are 'doing fine' when you know that Billy's still out there somewhere, completely devastated! Because of you and that tramp!"

"Whoa, Kim. No way, don't you dare trash talk Kat."

"I can say whatever the hell I want! I stayed out of it when I was supposed to! But now? Right now I have every right to rip you a new one."

"Well I don't need it!"

"Tough shit."

"You know, yesterday I was really hoping I could talk to you and we'd finally get over this bullshit. But now I don't want to. Stay out of business, Kim. I mean it," he said with shake of his head as he pulled the warm mug to his lips and took a seat at the table, intentionally blocking her off by holding the newspaper out and high above his sightline.

"Fine," she seethed, "Stay out my _life,_ then. I don't care if I ever see you again. And I certainly don't want you at my wedding."

And with that, she turned sharply on her heels and left the kitchen, slamming the door to Tommy's upstairs bedroom.

Once alone, Jason threw the paper down and rested his head in his hands. He choked back rare tears that threatened to fall. He was absolutely crushed. Though he knew he needed to seek out Billy's forgiveness in time, not seeming to ever again have Kim's was devastating. Aside from Tommy, Kimberly was his closest friend; his ally, his sister. And he'd thoroughly disappointed her.

The conflict that arose regarding Tommy and Kim's disparate attitudes toward him seemed inconsequential. And he now wondered if Tommy had let him off the hook too easily. His best guy friend's forgiveness meant nothing if he didn't have Kim's as well.

But he refused to give up his burgeoning relationship with Katherine. Why should he sacrifice his desperately sought after happiness just to appease Kim? Though look what it had cost him; a good friend's trust that would forever be tainted no matter how much closure they would most assuredly attain, and a _great_ friend's respect.

Jason wanted to find solace in Tommy's wisdom from yesterday's conversation, telling him that all of those injured would heal in time. But right now he questioned it. He sincerely hoped he could eventually have both; Katherine's affection and Kimberly's love.

_**AN: Let me know. Reviews, comments, thoughts, questions? They're all encouraged! Catch ya on the flipside.**_


	40. Face Up and Sing

_**Pulse**_

_**AN: As promised, here is the next installment. There's a lot of jumps in time but not to worry, you're always given what's most important. Please read and review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers, don't sue. And oh yeah, seriously mature content ahead. **_

_**Chapter 40**_

_**Face up and Sing**_

_May 2__nd__, 2008_

_4:30pm_

_Gloria's Café_

_Angel Grove, California_

The end of the school year was weeks away. Kimberly and Tommy had set a date for the wedding; October 5th; just enough time to get away for a weeklong honeymoon before the midterms of a new semester at Reefside High, their soon to be co-workplace.

Though they'd agreed on a day, one that now gave them approximately six months to plan; the details were a sordid matter. Kimberly's ultimatum to Jason a few weeks ago had been a devastating blow to Tommy's heart and mind. The former white Ranger had laid to rest his ill will toward his best friend, desperately needing his presence and strength for the biggest day of his life.

Kimberly however, seemed perfectly content without Jason's inclusion. In fact, whenever Tommy dared to mention Jason's involvement with anything wedding related, she'd immediately shut down and cease all conversation.

To say it made things difficult was an understatement. How would they manage the wedding without including the one man that had started this whole reunion? Jason had been the couple's most loyal, loving, and relentless champion and now it was possible he wouldn't even be receiving an invitation?

The thought made Tommy sick to his stomach. All together, excluding the most recent fight, his two favorite people had been uncivil for approximately three months. And while he tried to understand Kim's logic, she was being downright vengeful.

"I already called my parents and David," Tommy said quietly as Kimberly took a sip from her diet coke. He'd offered to take her out to grab a bite on his way into town so they could talk about wedding business without burdening Annie.

The young girl could live with that. It wasn't as though she wasn't excited for her parents; she just didn't want to sit through details that didn't really involve her. And she was definitely going through a rough phase at the moment; greedy for her parents' attention yet not wanting to be bothered. It was a vicious cycle. Kimberly and she had barely seen one another the past month. Tommy had hung out with the girl a bit more than Kim had recently, only to end up reprimanding the girl when she'd want to blow him off to hang out with her friends. But he understood her mood swings, and Tommy was quickly realizing that he would never be the disciplinarian Kim was. That side of fatherhood just wasn't in his blood.

"My mom may not be able to make it," Kim sighed.

Tommy nodded slowly. Kimberly had been dealt too many troubles involving her parents. First when she was five, she found out her dad had been having an affair, which led to her parents' divorce. Her mom then remarried, moving to Paris, of all places, with her new husband and leaving Kimberly behind to live with her now estranged father. When her mother found out she'd gotten pregnant, she completely disowned her; leaving her once again to seek out her dad. Then, some years later, when Annie was about nine; Kim's father passed away. A heart attack, ironically enough, given the man's surname. That was when she and her mother finally reconciled; during the man's funeral. Now; at the ripe age of Fifty three, her mother was in the hospital. Breast cancer; her eighth visit in the past year.

Tommy didn't even know his birth parents; having been adopted when he was just a baby. And never even knew he'd had a brother until he was a senior in high school. But he certainly didn't envy Kim's current position.

He reached out a consoling hand to her across the table. She took it and sigh again as Tommy rubbed the back of her small extremity with his thumb. He wished there was something he could say but, he knew better. Kim wanted the silence. She needed it, at least for now.

"I was hoping she'd give me away," Kim said after a moment. Her thoughts understandably still fixed on her mother's condition.

"We'll figure something out," he decided to say.

Kim nodded weakly as she absently chewed on her straw. "Can we get out of here?"

Tommy nodded without pause, "Absolutely."

She thanked him with her feeble smile and he helped her stand up, gathering her belongings for her as they made their way out to the car.

Back at Kim's house, Annie was still out of sight, which was just as well. Kim didn't have the energy to deal with her daughter's mercurial attitude at the moment.

Tommy set her paperwork down on the table while she dropped her purse on the floor in a more unceremonious manner. He gave her a tiny smile and beckoned her to join him on the couch. She did as much, curling up between his legs to rest her head against his chest.

He stroked her hair lightly and hushed her worried thoughts.

Slowly and ever so softly, she began to cry. Tommy heard them though, and proceeded to wrap his arms around her tightly before gently rocking her in his embrace.

"I don't want to be alone," she mumbled into his chest.

"I'm right here, beautiful."

"No," she clarified as she sat up slightly, his arms still around her as she sniffled. "I mean, I don't want to be alone on my wedding day."

"You won't be," Tommy assured her, "I'll be there, obviously. And Aisha and Annie, Zack, Billy, Rocky, Adam…we'll all be there."

"I really want my mom to be there," Kimberly sobbed as Tommy nodded.

"I know," he said helplessly. He couldn't stand seeing her this sad, it broke his heart.

"And I want my dad," she added, still crying. "And I want Trini."

Tommy started to cry, he couldn't help it. He gathered her back into his arms and nodded into her hair, as though knowing all the loss she'd experienced was marring the would-be joyful thoughts this day should bring with it.

"And I _do_ want Jason there," she admitted tearfully. "I don't want him to _not_ be there. I don't want to be mad at him anymore. I just want everyone I love to be with me. I want my family, Tommy. I just want my family back."

"I know," he said with a pained smile, "I know."

_June 3rd, 2008_

_2:17pm_

_Kimberly's House_

The school year ended exactly three days ago. Kim had remained in Angel Grove so Annie could give a teary eyed goodbye to her friends as she wouldn't be attending the same school come next fall.

Kimberly's mother had gone into remission; which, while it was a relief, did not mean her illness had been completely eradicated. It was a bitter comfort to know. And Kimberly felt guilty for wondering if her mother was better off leaving this world in peace rather than undergoing more harsh chemotherapy that would only leave her in pain with no guarantee of curing her.

She'd spoken to Jason, a painstakingly difficult maneuver of apology for her harsh words and lack of compassion. She admitted that part of her verve had stemmed from her father's affair way back when, and the idea that a man such as Jason; a man she'd trusted and knew to always be trustworthy and righteous, had been capable of facilitating the same infidelity.

She also ate crow about her feelings toward Katherine; an absolutely foolish and irrational resentment toward the blonde Aussie that had no place or validity.

And finally, she admitted to being blinded by her own pride. A bruised ego in the face of not only being lied to; as she'd always been the one to share secrets with; but also, not being able to rescue Billy from a very real occurrence that she'd always felt she needed to protect him from. Their brainy mutual friend had always found a curious companion in Kimberly, seeking her advice and guidance when it came to romantic affairs. Now, as adults; heartbreak was no less hurtful but far less melodramatic. Which, Kimberly had to concede, she'd easily given into.

He returned her apology without a second thought and gratefully accepted her friendship and love in an instant. It felt all too surreal to know that Kimberly didn't hate him. He'd spend the rest of his better days making it up to her. She meant far too much to him to let her down again.

Currently, Kimberly was seated at her kitchen table, leafing through color swatches. Trying to assemble a reasonable color palette for her wedding did not come as easily as she thought it would. She'd toyed with the idea of pink; as that was most certainly a color one would always associate her with; but she'd grown out of it.

"Aww hell, a little pink wouldn't kill me," she said aloud as she wrote down the color choices for a later reference.

With Jason now back in the midst of things, Tommy had secured his best man. Aisha was most definitely her maid of honor, with Annie their flower girl.

There was still the matter of the remaining wedding party, as well as a slew of details yet to even be considered. Kimberly sighed as she looked at the task list she'd written for herself. _Things to plan for wedding,_ she'd titled it. This was definitely not easy. And she was grateful Tommy hadn't let all the responsibility fall to her. He'd let her do anything she wanted but still had plenty ideas of his own.

She took a brief pause from her color selecting to gaze around her quirky, little kitchen. She'd be moving within the next few months. To Reefside; with Tommy. The proposal he'd had written up for on her birthday about transferring to the high school in the northerly city had since expired. But a new one could be drawn up, and his school still needed a new teacher. Kimberly was a little sad to know she'd no longer be working at the same level as Annie attended, but perhaps it was for the better. Each day that saw Annie get older; Kim knew the girl wanted more freedom. And if it could start with her mother not teaching at the same school, then she'd accept that.

Kim shook her head as she thought of her daughter. _She had a daughter._ It was certainly not the first time she'd repeated that phrase to herself. But she hadn't given the notion much credence in the last few months; the drama of recent weeks overshadowing everything in its wake.

She didn't know how to raise a child. She'd done it for twelve years, and was still doing it but, she never felt prepared. Surprisingly, Kim had found Annie to be easier to raise when she was younger. The romanticized vision of a cradled baby and then into a doe-eyed toddler became her lifeblood. But as the girl slowly became a real person; accountable for her own thoughts, opinions and feelings; things changed.

Kimberly loved her daughter, no question. But by the time Annie got old enough to talk back to her mother; Kim was reminded of how little she actually knew about having a kid.

She was too smart for her own good; Kimberly's tenacity, stubbornness and vitality were present from the moment the little girl took her first steps. Of course, as she aged and began to display more of her father's qualities; Annie became nigh unmanageable.

Kim's lively demeanor compounded with Tommy's intensity, strength and charisma were a lethal combo. It's a wonder the girl wasn't more trouble.

And Kimberly had to thank the heavens that she wasn't. For as helpless as Kim felt at times, Annie had turned out alright. She was normally temperamental for her age but forthright and polite; _most of the time_, and she clearly loved and respected both of her parents; as if cosmically being looked after where Kim and Tommy could not.

And of course, the fact that Annie now had both parents in her life again was…indescribable. Kim was eternally grateful for Annie's maturity after everything that had been said and revealed that fateful autumn day. God only knows the young girl would have had every right to never speak to either one of them but, like a family; they'd survived it all.

And they'd survive more to come, Kimberly was sure of that. For all the life she'd lived, Annie was still only twelve; soon to be thirteen come September. Basking in the years that seemed to have past too quickly, Kim looked back down at her color swatches and started crying.

The young girl invading Kimberly's current thoughts entered the room; wary when she witnessed her mother's sobbing.

"Mom?"

Kimberly looked up to see her stunned daughter, a lazy arm clutching a strap of her backpack. She smiled; she hadn't taken a good look at the girl in over a month. She looked the same yet….different. Her chocolate hair had gotten longer, now almost to the middle of her back, which was currently tied up in two haphazard buns.

Her face was a bit freckled from the sun, but still a healthy, olive tan. Her dark eyes burned with expression. She wore a green sundress and leggings with those big, black platform combat boots Tommy had gotten her for Christmas.

"Hey sweetie," Kim said as she wiped her eyes. "How was everything? Are your friends sad that you're leaving them?"

Annie shrugged and slumped down into the chair across the table, dropping her bag to the floor. "Lauren's moving to San Francisco so, a lot of people were more upset about that," Annie began, absently playing with the corner of Kimberly's notebook as she spoke.

"Dale and Amanda Clayton are both gonna be freshmen at Angel Grove High and Amanda said her friend Stacy is gonna be in the eighth grade at Reefside Junior so I'm gonna try and meet up with her. Andrew invited me to a party at the end of the summer but I told him I didn't think I could go so he just said, 'whatever' and left. He didn't even hug me goodbye or anything."

Kimberly bit her lip. It was obvious Annie liked this Andrew boy, despite having had many previous discussions on the contrary. It pained her to see the girl distressed about his apparent disinterest but she merely smiled and gave the youth some hopeful advice.

"They'll be plenty of other cute boys at Reefside," Kim said with an outreached hand.

Annie gave her mother a doubtful look but accepted the gesture and dropped her tiny palm onto Kim's.

"I know," she said with a sigh. "And it's not like we were dating or anything but…"

"You liked him," Kim supplied.

Annie nodded. Then shrugged, "I mean…he was okay, I guess….cute…..whatever….I just….I'm really gonna miss hanging out with him."

Kim nodded in understanding. There'd been plenty of boys she'd hung out with that eventually became crushes. Jason, in fact, was her first crush. And then there was Tommy, of course. But there'd been plenty of others.

"Did I ever tell you I had a crush on Adam?"

Annie's face contorted into something akin to confusion and shock.

"Uncle Adam? As in, Tanya's Adam?"

Kim nodded and pulled her hand away to brush a hair out of her face.

"What about dad?" Annie asked dutifully.

Kim laughed, "Oh, nothing ever happened. And it was only for like, the first month he'd transferred to our school but, yeah; Adam. I think if Tommy and I hadn't been so into each other I would have totally gone for him."

Annie shook her head, her mom never ceased to amaze her. "What about Uncle Jay?"

Kim rolled her eyes, "Oh yes! I was madly in love with Jason. I remember one day, it was like, one in the morning and I snuck over to his house and climbed through his window and convinced him to run away with me. We snuck back outside through the window and made it as far as the corner of Main and Dutch Avenue before a cop stopped us and escorted us back home. Evidently, the Angel Grove Police Department didn't think the shoulder of the road was a suitable destination for a couple of nine year olds."

Annie howled wildly as Kim's punch line was delivered, "You were nine?"

Kim smiled and shook her head in amusement, "Your Nana could have killed me!"

Annie's reverie became somber at the mention of her grandmother. She'd only known the woman a few years but, much like her father, was desperate to know her once she'd been introduced to her life.

"How is Nana?"

Kimberly sighed and shrugged, "She's doing okay," she started slowly. "She went back to the hospital last month, as you know. Her cancer has gone into remission but she's still gonna be on chemotherapy."

"And remission means it went away?" Annie asked for clarification.

"For now, yeah. It went away for now," Kim explained carefully.

"Is she gonna be at the wedding?"

Kim exhaled and smiled sadly, "I don't know, pumpkin."

Annie nodded, "When are we moving?"

Kim shook off her grief and rummaged around the papers in front of her to find her date book. Once located, she flipped through the months before she scanned the desired page.

"Let's see…I stopped the electric and the gas for June 20th…the 19th. We officially leave Angel Grove on June 19th."

"Wow."

"I know," Kim said in agreement. It wasn't a lot of time. The two women didn't have much in the way of furniture, and most of Annie's stuff had already been relocated to Tommy's throughout the past few months. But it was Kimberly's personal belongings and _wardrobe_ that would be their undoing.

"Is dad coming down to help?"

"Of course. And Jason too. I might even be able to convince Aisha and Zack to make a trip. They're probably gonna want to see the house one last time before we vacate. I'm just glad we rented. I couldn't imagine trying to sell this place."

Annie laughed, though uncertain of the strife her mother referred to.

"Is there stuff to do in Reefside?" Annie asked. "I haven't really gone anywhere in that place."

Kim stood up and crossed to the sink and began to unload the dishwasher, "You remember our neighborhood in Florida, right?" Annie nodded, "It's more like that than Angel Grove only, an entire town."

"Okay, cool," Annie said, moving on. "What grade did I get in Art?"

Kim laughed with each new direction Annie's mind took their conversation. It felt wonderful to just be sitting with her, talking about everything and nothing; like they used to.

"I can't tell you that!" Kim playfully admonished. "You'll just have to wait for your report card."

"Aww, man!" Annie whined.

"Which, I want to see, by the way. I expect nothing less than a B from you across the board, miss thing."

"Yes ma'am," the girl muttered as Kim now moved from the dishwasher to the sink and began washing the dirty plates.

"How was the last week of school, besides my class? How was Mr. Atkins' class?"

Mr. Atkins, Annie's second period Music teacher, was notorious for his unorthodox final exams. A humanities teacher, as Kim was, allowed the man to mold his testing methodologies to his own specifications. A practice that had proven itself successful despite the disapproving eye of the school board.

This last quarter, all of Mr. Atkins' advanced students were given an ongoing project that would culminate in a performance for the class. Each student was to select a song of their choosing, write an essay as to its significance and impact on not only the music world, but them personally. Then of course, they had to present their song to the class. Annie had typically thought of doing an Ani Difranco song before a conversation with Andrew had piqued her interest in an older band that she'd not spent much time with; Led Zeppelin.

"I did that Zeppelin song," Annie informed her mom.

Kim didn't recall which song her daughter was referring to but decided to press on with more important questions.

"How'd it go?"

Annie shrugged, "I guess I'll have to wait and see when my report card comes back."

"Yes but, surely you must have sensed how it went when you played it for the class? How'd everyone react?"

"They seemed to like it," Annie said with an exasperated sigh. Reactions of that nature didn't quantify anything in her mind. As far as school was concerned, she needed to see the grade in writing before she knew if she'd excelled or not.

"Did you play the guitar?"

Annie nodded, "Yeah. It was kind of tricky ya know, cause almost every Zeppelin song relies on Bonham's drums and I'm certainly no Jimmy Page. But I thought my vocals were pretty good. I didn't want to rip off Robert Plant when I sang but I definitely hit some of the notes I didn't think I could."

Kim laughed, pride swelling, "Well it sounds like you definitely did your homework."

Annie exhaled, "Oh yeah, that was totes easy. The internet has tons of Zeppelin stuff everywhere. Did you know that at one point, they were considered metal?"

Kim mused, "I don't think I knew that. I guess their sound was a lot heavier than some of the other bands around that time."

"Oh yeah. I downloaded every album on my Itunes so I could get a sampling of how their sound changed."

Kim gave Annie a stern look. "You bought all of that music?"

"I used _my_ account!"

"That's not the point. How much did that cost? I don't want you spending all of your allowance on that and then come running to me and asking for more! Please tell me first if you want to buy something like that again."

"It's cheaper than if I bought them at the store!"

"Annie…"

"Fine, I'll ask dad."

"Oh no you won't. Cause then he'll have to deal with me!"

"Fine! Fine, I'll ask you first. But it was just music and it was for my final! It's not like I was buying drugs!"

Kim laughed, "You're damn right. Do you know how much_ that_ would have cost?"

"Mom!" Annie said with shocked laughter.

"Sorry, sorry…yes, yes, drugs are worse than music, you're right. It's over, I'm not mad just, ask me first next time, okay?"

"I will," Annie said with a cautious laugh as she stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder. "Can we go over to dad's?"

Kimberly shook her hands dry and reached for a paper towel before turning to face the girl who'd know crossed back to the doorway.

"I thought you wanted to stay to say good bye to your friends?"

Annie shrugged, "I really only wanted to say good bye to Andrew but since he blew me off, whatever."

Kim wiped her hands and tossed the napkin in the trash, "I'm sorry about Andrew."

"Whatever," Annie said.

"Well, let me call Tommy and see what his plans are. I don't think he'll mind but since we thought we were staying here he might have made other plans."

"Okay, I'll be in my room."

"Okay, sweetie. I'll let you know what the deal is after I talked to him."

Annie nodded and backed out of the kitchen. Kim smiled and crossed back to her scattered pile of papers at the kitchen table. Picking up her cell phone, she flipped open the device and dialed Tommy's number while absently scanning her to-do list once again.

"Totes?" She mumbled with a laugh as she recalled her daughter's quirky vocabulary.

Moments later, a voice answered the phone. To Kim's surprise, it was Jason.

"_Hey Kimbo." _

"Hey jerk face," she replied wryly. They may have made up but the torment of slight barbs would last forever.

"_Tommy's on the house phone with the exterminator. Evidently one of the guys found the secret entrance to the computer room in the basement. He thought Tommy might be a terrorist and alerted his boss."_

Kim stifled a laugh, "Oh my God, is everything okay?"

"_Yeah, it was just that room but Tommy's just been on the phone for the past hour trying to convince them that he's not planning on blowing up any major monuments."_

"If they only knew…" Kim said with a chuckle.

Jason laughed, _"No doubt. So what's up?"_

"Umm, there's been a change of plans over here and Annie and I were wondering if we could come there tonight?"

"_I don't see why not. I think after all this terrorist shit, Tommy would love to see you sooner rather than later."_

Kim giggled, "Great. Well, tell him we'll be there around five the latest. That is, if he's not too busy planning a hostile takeover or something."

Jason shook his head as he laughed merrily, _"You got it sis-bit."_

Kim smiled over the phone, "Okay, see you boys soon."

"_Love you."_

"Love you too. Bye."

_June 3rd, 2008_

_5:39pm_

_Tommy's House_

For good measure, Kimberly packed for the end of the world to stay over at Tommy's. As they were all now free of their scholastic responsibilities for the summer, the girls could stay in Reefside for as long as they wanted before returning back to pack up the rest.

Annie brought her guitar with her, having traveled the worn instrument back and forth between the two houses while preparing for her final. There was a question she had for her mother regarding the wedding, and she didn't know if she'd need to provide an example.

"Mom, what are you guys doing about music? For the wedding?"

Tommy looked up though the question was directed at Kim. Kimberly finished chewing her food and set her fork down. Jason had ordered take out once he knew Kim and Annie were coming, and now the four of them all sat in Tommy's kitchen, eating the spread.

"I don't know…why?" Kim wondered as Annie shrugged.

"Well, I was just thinking….I'd like to play a song for you guys."

"Really?" Kim asked in awe.

"That's really sweet, peaches," Jason said.

"Thanks, sweetie," Tommy added.

"What song?" Kim inquired.

"I don't know yet. I've got a couple to choose from."

"Well, live music would certainly beat a D.J.," Tommy noted.

"Yeah, I liked the music that guy played at Tanya and Adam's but…"

"I think it's a great idea! Yes, absolutely!" Kim squealed.

Annie smiled and nodded, pleased with herself.

"What if we got a whole band together?" Tommy suggested.

"You mean of our friends?" Kim clarified.

"Yeah."

"Kat plays the piano," Jason chimed in.

Kimberly bit her lip, the smallest trace of bitterness still crept in but she let it slide. "As does Adam and Aisha."

"She, Tanya and Zack all sing," Tommy added.

"And I sing!" Annie touted.

"And peaches," Jason said with a laugh, gesturing a thumb in her direction.

Kimberly clapped her hands excitedly, "Oh, I love this idea! Do you think they'll do it?"

"Why not?" Tommy said as he shoved a forkful of food in his mouth.

"I mean, even if they're not like, part of the wedding party?" Kim furthered her point.

"Kim, they'd be honored!" Jason assured her.

"Should we get Billy and Rocky in on this somehow?" Tommy wondered.

"I don't see how. I don't think Billy plays any instruments," Kim reasoned.

"And the only thing Rocky can play is a sandwich," Jason jabbed.

The group laughed as they continued eating, Annie standing up to fetch another soda.

"Anybody need anything?" she posed.

The adults shook their heads while mindlessly chatting.

"So, Kim," Jason piped up, "When can we expect you?"

"June 19th," she said.

Tommy's face was glowing, he already knew the date Kim and Annie were arriving officially but the affirmation made him thrive.

"Well, welcome to the neighborhood," Jason added with a chuckle.

"Can we look at places for me to hang out around here?" Annie asked as she returned to the table with another drink for herself.

"Sure," Tommy answered.

"You like coffee, peaches? There's a cool café downtown," Jason suggested, "Cyber Café, I think it's called."

Annie cooed as Kim pondered the name, "_Cyber _Café? Is it not real?"

Jason laughed, "That's its name. The whole place is apparently rigged with like, super wi-fi and there's laptops everywhere for all the customers."

"Wow," Annie gushed.

"Wow is right," Kim said, shaking her head before looking at Annie, "No coffee!"

Annie rolled her eyes, "I don't like coffee so don't worry."

"I've already been way too lax about soda," Kim added.

"I know," Annie whined.

"Sis, they've got smoothies and stuff too, don't worry," Jason assured the woman, "It's like the juice bar for a new generation."

Kim snickered, "Fine."

"Did you look at anymore swatches?" Tommy asked Kim.

Kim nodded as she reached for a roll and ripped it in half, "Yeah but I still haven't decided."

"Wedding colors?" Jason wondered.

Tommy nodded as Annie wiped her mouth with her sleeve. Kim clicked her tongue and handed the girl a napkin.

"Am I gonna have a special dress?" Annie asked after she begrudgingly wiped her mouth again with the napkin.

"Yes," Kim told her, "Everyone in the wedding party will."

"What about your dress, mom?"

"That's why I need to figure out colors, sweetie," The older woman explained.

"Pink and green!" Annie urged.

The adults shared a knowing smile, "I've thought about that one," Kim said.

"Or I guess, pink and white," Annie decided, "Since, your dress. Does your wedding dress _have_ to be white?"

"Nope," Kim said.

"I like pink and white," Tommy said carefully.

Jason gave him a smirk, "We know you do."

Annie rolled her eyes at her family's cryptic comments, "Can I pick out my dress?" She asked.

"Totally," Kim chirped, "We can go to this Cyber Café in the next few days and look online together."

"Sweet," Annie cheered softly as she resumed picking at her food.

"I wanna hear about the exterminator," Kimberly whispered to Tommy.

"Later," He whispered back before Kim nodded.

"Well I'm stuffed," Jason said with a sigh, throwing down his napkin. "Peaches, wanna hit the water?"

"Sure," Annie said with a nod as she wiped her hands and stood up.

"Hey, hey, hey," Tommy scolded, "Clean up your trash."

Jason smirked as his trash was already in his hands before Annie blushed in embarrassment and bashfully scurried back to the table to retrieve hers.

After cleaning up their respective places, Annie started for her room as Jason spun around and regarded Tommy and Kim.

"Umm, is it cool if Kat comes over?" Jason wondered as Annie stopped at the archway to listen in.

Tommy gave Kim a curious look as she shrugged, "It's Tommy's house," she said with a sigh.

"It's ours, now," he said with a wink before looking back at Jason carefully, "Sure."

Jason smiled and bowed his head gratefully, "Thanks. Peaches," he said, lifting his head to speak to the young girl, "go ahead and get ready. I'll be out to get you in a bit."

Annie nodded as ran out of the kitchen and down the hall. Jason gave the remaining couple a humble grin and walked out, flipping open his cell phone as he left the room.

"He doesn't have to ask my permission," Kim said once Jason was gone.

Tommy smirked and draped an arm across the back of Kim's chair, "Tell me you weren't a little bit satisfied that he did, though."

Kim bit her lip and tried to hide a smug smile that crossed her face, "Oh, fine. Yes, it was absolutely satisfying."

Tommy laughed and squeezed her arm before stabbing the last of his food with his fork.

Kim leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, "We're getting married," Kim gushed softly.

Tommy smiled as he chewed and swallowed, "I know," he said lovingly, staring back at her. The hand of his draped arm now reached for the back of her head and pulled it closer to his face before kissing her on the lips.

"Should we stop having sex until we get married?" Kim asked once she and Tommy parted.

The look on his face could have peeled paint, "What?"

"I mean, just to…you know…restore….I don't know what I'm saying," Kim struggled to explain.

"Restore, what? Our virginity?" Tommy asked incredulously.

Kim rolled her eyes, "There's no getting _that_ back. No, I mean…if we go an entire summer without having sex imagine how amazing our wedding night will be!"

"Do you know how impossible that is?" Tommy asked her seriously.

Kim giggled, flattered beyond words, "I think we should try it."

Tommy gave her an amused grin and shook his head, "Do you know how stressful this summer's gonna be already? You really want to put us through that?"

"Oh, would you stop trying to sound noble?" Kim scolded playfully.

"Fine," he said with a glint in his eye, "I don't want go five months without pussy."

Kimberly's jaw dropped to the floor as she choked on her shocked laughter. She stood up abruptly, dismayed by his words as Tommy started laughing hysterically at her embarrassment as he rushed out of his own seat to grab her by the waist.

Now leaning against the counter, Kimberly's blush had yet to leave her sweet face as she just continued to stare at him in awe, his hands resting against her hips.

"I can't believe I still want to marry you after a comment like that."

Tommy smiled and bent down to sneak a kiss, which she dodged, rendering his lips on her ear instead. She moaned slightly in spite of her attempted indifference. Tommy seized the opportunity and whispered something that somehow topped his previous statement.

"I don't want to go five months without _your _pussy," he growled into her ear.

Kim gritted her teeth. Back in high school, before the two had had sex, the most forward gesture Tommy had ever displayed was by slyly insinuating a 'white tiger' would play the shining knight to her fictitious princess. And even when the two did have sex for the first time, Tommy was nothing but a gentleman; more concerned about hurting her than seducing her. _But now_, though she'd had the privilege of seeing Tommy's older, sexier side prior to this moment; these were by far the most provocative words he'd ever uttered.

"Are you trying to make this hard?" Kim breathed in low tones.

"You're making _me_ hard," Tommy tempted. Kim rolled her eyes despite her growing arousal. She walked right into that pun.

"Tommy," she insisted as his breath continued to fan her neck while his hands still gripped her hips tightly.

"Still want to try your plan?" He slithered, placing a kiss on her neck.

_No. Not right now_, she thought.

"Yes," she fought her body's battle cry, "I think it'll be totally worth it."

Tommy sighed and moved away from her, stroking her cheek absently. "Okay," he lingered, "If you really think we can."

"We can. And then, when we get married, you're gonna be so glad we waited."

"Will I?" Tommy questioned, snatching her hand to give it an affectionate squeeze.

"Oh yes," she cooed flirtatiously.

Tommy smirked as he turned from her and started cleaning up his dishes. "I'm gonna go take a cold shower, now."

Kimberly laughed as she too started cleaning up her plates. Once her hands were free, she grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him down to kiss her.

Tommy groaned into her mouth and grabbed her by the waist, crushing her tiny body into his. "How technical are we talking? Like, Bill Clinton sex or like, textbook sex?"

Kimberly laughed as she writhed free of his embrace, "No sex whatsoever!"

"Damn," Tommy pouted as he watched her for a second before giving her rump a playful smack.

"Go take your shower!" She joked back, swatting his hand away as he laughed.

"You'll be up in a few minutes?" He called back to her, already making his way to the stairs.

"Not to _join_ you!" She reminded him. She smiled as she heard Tommy's laughter while his feet padded up the steps.

"Hey mom," Annie said as she ran into the living room in search of something dear.

"Hey," Kim said, turning around to face the girl as she entered the room. "What are you looking for?"

"My guitar tabs for that Zeppelin song," Annie explained as she slumped into the couch and started digging through her bag. "I can't find them. I was gonna play some music while we went down to the beach."

"Oh," Kim nodded as the doorbell rang. Annie looked up for a moment as Kim crossed to answer it.

She stumbled, it was inevitable. As the door opened, Katherine Hillard's tall silhouette stood in the frame, greeting her nervously.

Kim gasped at the sight of her, cursing herself for being so taken aback. She smiled tightly and invited the blonde inside. She hadn't seen Kat since the wedding. And though she'd made up with Jason, it was still a shock to see the woman again in person. Especially being reminded why she was now standing here; and _who for._

"Hey Kim," Kat spoke first, reluctantly stepping inside as Kim shut the door behind her.

"Hey Kat," Kim echoed nervously. The two women gave one another polite but guarded smiles before Annie's victorious cry broke the silence.

"Found it!" the girl cheered, ripping the pages from her knapsack and sprinted back down the hall. "Jason, K-Rad is here!"

Katherine laughed as Kim turned to her, "K-Rad?" she asked suspiciously.

"Jason called me that once…Annie started saying it too…" the Australian offered weakly.

Kim snickered and led them further inside, "Can I get you anything?"

"Oh no, I'm fine, thank you," Kat said humbly as Kim nodded as returned to the kitchen.

Kat took a rigid seat on the couch and tapped her foot anxiously. Jason had informed her Kim would be here. She also knew of Kim and Jason's reconciliation. Though that fact did little to appease the tension _she_ felt.

"So, how are you? How's the wedding planning going?" Kat's voice suddenly called out.

Kim stepped back inside the living room and leaned against the doorway.

"I'm fine. The wedding stuff is stressful but we've got a lot of fun ideas."

The news of Kim and Tommy's engagement was revealed about a month after Tanya and Adam's wedding, once the din of their nuptials had leveled. It came as no surprise to anyone, though they were all very supportive and excited.

"Congratulations, by the way," Kat added.

"Thanks," Kim said with a nod. Kat's shoulders slumped. Her polite inquiries had only suspended the tension for a minute; now they were back to silence.

Kim knew she should ask the woman how she was but, it was hard. No one still had spoken to Billy since the incident in March and Kim couldn't bear to think about how he must be coping with it all. _Or not coping,_ she feared. To possibly hear that Kat was doing great would only make Kim angry. Of course, to know that the blonde was probably feeling the exact antithesis of that; made her feel guilty. Neither of which she wanted to experience at the moment.

"Thank you," Kat said suddenly.

Kim gave the woman a curious look and bit her lip, "For what?"

"For being so nice to me," Kat clarified, "I know that you and Jason made up but, you and I haven't really spoken since the wedding. I know what you must think of me or _thought_….I don't even know if you're still mad. I assume you are, it's okay if you are…I just…I know you still have every right to not like me but you're being really kind so, thank you."

Kim just stood there, conflicted. Yes, there was a small part of her that would probably always be angry at Kat for what she'd done. There was a small part of her that would always be hurt by Jason, too. But she'd found closure with the man, why couldn't she with Kat? Her taller counterpart seemed genuinely remorseful for how things went down. And Kim knew, much like Jason, that Kat wasn't a bad person; just a good one who'd made some bad choices. And Billy wasn't Kim's responsibility. Nor had he ever been, really. It was hard for the tiny brunette to admit she couldn't save her friend, but it was the truth. Billy was obviously dealing with his grief his way; avoidance. Kim's way was more confrontational, but ultimately resulted in faster peace. And that's how she'd handle Katherine right now.

"I will never approve of what happened," Kim started as Kat's eyes widened in fear. The blonde had given her an opening and she was taking it. "But it's ultimately not my place to administer punishment to you, Kat. That's for you and Billy to deal with. I can be mad at you _for_ him, and I was. But I know that you're sorry and I know that Jason's sorry and I understand how these things happen. So let's say I can forgive but never forget."

Kat nodded, "I'll take that," she said quietly before Jason and Annie finally emerged from the hall, carrying an assortment of beach gear.

"We're ready," Annie blurted out as Jason took a moment to assess what had clearly just been exchanged. He gave Kat a concerned look before she silently assured him all was fine. The man then looked to Kim and reached out to place a kiss on her cheek.

"I hope you were nice," he whispered.

"Always," she gave him a wink.

He snickered as he turned back to Kat and reached out an arm for her, "You ready, Spidey?"

Kim watched as Kat giggled while taking Jason's hand, letting him lead them toward the front door. Annie waved absently at her mother as she raced past the couple.

"Bye mom!"

"Bye Kim, we'll be back in a little bit," Jason told her, glancing back over his shoulder.

Kim waved as Kat turned to wave as well, "Bye Kimberly! Thank you again."

"Don't mention it," Kim said with a smile and nod as the three exited the house, shutting the door behind them.

Kim sighed as she shook her head. Perking her ears to listen for signs of water running, Kim noticed that Tommy's shower had evidently ceased. Smiling, she ventured up the stairs toward his bedroom, grabbing her wedding planning papers along the way.

_June 4__th__, 2008_

_2:20pm_

_The Cyber Café_

_Reefside, Ca_

"That's what that means?" Kim laughed merrily as Kat braced her arm against her chair while she too giggled mercilessly.

"It started with Legs, then became Daddy Long Legs then it was Spider and now it's just simply, Spidey."

Kim chuckled, taking a sip of her tea.

Kat had stayed the night with Jason, which should have been awkward, but wasn't. Though now Tommy was perturbed at the thought of Kat and Jason possibly having sex while he and Kim were not.

The group of five did not reconvene after Jason, Kat and Annie's beach excursion, yesterday evening. But had, this morning, decided to take a trip into town and have brunch and check out the infamous Cyber Café that Jason had alluded to.

It was every bit impressive as Jason had made it out to be. Open tables and private booths alike donned laptops; spread out all over the floor. High ceilings with industrial beams held futuristic, dome shaped lamps that hung above by long chains. In the center of the room stood a massive island that smacked against the farthest wall which undoubtedly led to the kitchen. The island was the bar, essentially. Tall stools lined its curved counter and behind it; a handful of young and hip baristas bustled about the assorted machines.

There was also a lounge area, seated in a far corner. Three red loveseats and a matching chair enclosed the space, surrounding a low coffee table. Currently, Kim and Kat sat there, sharing a long forgotten laugh together as they discussed Jason's use of bizarre nicknames.

Kim should have seen red, knowing Jason's nickname for Kat was a result of his affinity for the blonde's physique, but she didn't. The conversation was harmless, and Kat was delightful. And she knew the alternative to sitting here, enjoying Kat's company could be powerful but ultimately, wasteful and energy sucking; and who needed that? So, there Kim was, sitting on a sofa, drinking a tea, and laughing with Kat.

Tommy was surfing the web with Annie, though they'd quickly abandoned any search for dresses and decided to play video games; a priceless bonding experience that Tommy relished. Jason, seated at a laptop across from them, decided to check his email and was now sorting out the messages he'd sent to various co-workers from both his dojo and construction business. Both jobs had been scattered recently, as his personal life had taken over. Now that it seemed things were balancing out, it was nose to the grindstone again.

"They best nicknames I ever got were Squirt or Short-fry," Kim said with a bemused grin.

"I remember once in high school when Jason came back, he'd been introduced to my parents and kept calling them Rico Suave and Fanny Pak," Kat snorted.

Kim nearly choked on her tea, "What are their real names?"

"Eric and Stephanie," Kat said as she wiped a happy tear from her eye.

Kim's laughter kept rolling, "He used to call Tommy's folks all sorts of food names," Kim recalled. "His dad was Jimmy Dean, then it became Jimmy Dean Sausage, then it was just Sausage. And Tommy's mom used to be Patty Melt and then he combined them and just referred to both of his parents as Sausage Patty."

Kat smack her forehead in shame, "His sense of humor hasn't changed."

Kim nodded, "I know. He called my mom Carhart for the longest time, which I had to admit was pretty clever."

"Your mom's name is Caroline, right?"

"Yep."

"Yeah, that is kind of clever."

"She's really sick right now," Kim said suddenly, halting all laughter.

Kat's face turned sullen as she reached out a consoling hand to her former predecessor.

"I'm sorry."

Kim wasn't sure why she'd brought it up, especially now. She was tired of burdening Tommy and Jason with reports of her mother's status and she needed a fresh perspective. All the corrupted feelings she'd felt for Kat notwithstanding, the blonde woman had always been practical and a good listener.

"Thanks…I uh…I'm sorry to have put that on you all of a sudden," Kim stumbled.

"You want to talk about it? It's the least I can do," Kat said.

Kim gave her a grateful smile and bit her lip. Her eyes were misty but no real tears had yet formed. "She's been sick for awhile now. Her…cancer, she has breast cancer…..her cancer's gone into remission twice. She's back on chemotherapy now. The doctors haven't given me a timeline….you know, of what to expect but….I just really hope she can make it to the wedding."

Kat nodded slowly, squeezing Kim's hand, "She will."

"I wanted her to give me away," Kim explained, "But I don't think she needs that kind of pressure right now. I'd be happy enough if she was there at all."

Kat kept nodding respectively, listening quietly as Kim rationalized her tormented thoughts.

"Look at you," Kat started as Kim's eyes focused on the table, "Look at everything that's been thrown your way. All the rubbish you've withstood and overcome. You must have gotten that strength from somewhere. Your mum is going to be just fine. And she's going to be so proud of you when she sees you walk down that aisle."

Now Kim started to cry, "Thanks, Kat."

The gentle blonde inched over to the couch and wrapped her arms around the tinier woman. Kim just cried, letting Kat's overwhelming compassion permeate through her shaking limbs.

"Jason's a lucky guy," Kim said ironically through her sobs.

Kat gave her a sheepish smile and pulled away to smooth back a few plastered hairs from Kim's face.

"You want to run to the restroom? I'll distract the others," Kat offered.

Kim snorted as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, "Yeah. I'll be right back."

"Okay, love," Kat said with a nod before pointing Kim toward the stalls.

Kat glanced back to make sure Kim had found her way before turning back and heading toward Jason's table.

"Hey Goldie Locks," Jason said with a smile as Kat approached him and sank to his lap.

"I could use that one for you too," she whispered playfully.

The soft exchanges of the couple made Tommy look up and watch them. It was startling at first, if only in remembrance of how the pair had gotten together but, they looked good with each other; and _happy._

"Hey, knock it off you two," Tommy joked, "Annie's getting grossed out."

The young girl looked up, not having been paying attention, "What?"

The adults laughed as Jason threw a napkin at Tommy, "You're one to talk," Jason scolded.

Tommy grimaced before glancing back at Annie who had returned to her browsing. Tommy moved his chair closer to Jason and Kat and leaned in.

"We're uh…" Tommy started, unsure if he wanted to deal with the ribbing Jason would undoubtedly give him, "We're not having sex again until the wedding."

"What?" Jason practically screamed, receiving annoyed looks from a few other patrons.

"Why?" Kat asked.

"Kim thinks it'll be nice to have something to look forward to," Tommy explained uneasily.

Kat pondered the notion as Jason stifled his laughter, "Good luck, bro."

Tommy rolled his eyes and decided to address Kat, "You don't think it's weird?"

Kat shrugged, mindlessly tracing her hand up and down Jason's back as she spoke. "I think it's…ambitious."

"I think it's stupid," Jason added.

"Nobody asked you!" Tommy snapped.

"Tommy, you guys can't keep your hands off each other! Come on man, you told me you guys ended up doing it in the basement!"

Tommy shot Jason a look of warning as Kat arched her eyebrow, "What's weird about that?"

Jason looked to Tommy. Tommy shrugged and threw his hands up in defeat, "You started it, might as well finish," he muttered.

Jason pulled Kat's head closer and whispered in her ear. Tommy watched annoyed as Kat's expression changed from confused to surprise.

"You do?" Kat's cryptic question spoke volumes.

"Yes I do, and yes we did it down there," Tommy pouted.

"Wow, that's hot," Kat giggled.

Tommy snickered as Jason resumed his reprimand. "As I was saying, you guys aren't gonna last a week."

"Oh whatever, it's not a contest," Tommy said.

"Wanna bet?" Jason challenged as they saw Kim approaching their table.

"No," Tommy said in a harsh whisper, "And Kim will kill me if she knows I've been talking about this with you so shut up and drop it."

Jason glance over Kat's shoulder and whispered hurriedly to Tommy, "A hundred bucks says you can't go one month."

"You're on," Tommy seethed before Kim reached the table, "Hey beautiful," he said brightly, shooting Jason a death glare before standing up to greet his bride to be.

"Hey handsome," she cooed back, receiving a kiss as Tommy remained beside her, laying his hand absently on her lower back. "What's everybody up to?"

It was then that Kim noticed how Kat and Jason were seated, but she dismissed it. Kat had redeemed herself. She gave the couple a brief smile before turning her attention to Annie.

"Did you find any dresses?" Kim asked as she moved to look over the girl's shoulder.

Annie looked up from the screen and shook her head, "No, I gave up. I was just looking at song lyrics."

Kim nodded and ruffled the girl's hair tenderly before Jason and Kat stood up.

"Who's ready for lunch?" Jason asked.

Annie raised her hand but remained focused on the laptop as Kim, Tommy and Kat shrugged.

"I could eat," Kat said.

"I'm gonna pay for that last coffee I had," Tommy told them as they all started to gather up their things.

"I'll wait with you," Kim offered as she helped Annie clear her station. Kat grabbed her purse as Jason led them toward the door.

"We'll be right outside," Jason called after them.

Annie threw her bag over her shoulder as she looked around the café. "Mom, am I too young to get a job?"

Kim gave her daughter a smile, "No, I don't think so, why? You thinking of working here?"

"Yeah, I think this place would be cool," Annie said with a nod.

"Well let's see if we can grab you an application."

The two women met Tommy at the counter as he finished paying, "What's up?" He wondered.

"Annie's gonna see if she can get an application to work here," Kim told him.

Tommy punched Annie's arm, "That's awesome, pumpkin."

"We'll meet you at the car, okay?" Kim said, giving the girl a kiss on the cheek before she and Tommy headed for the door.

Annie hopped onto one of the counter barstools and spun herself around while she waited for an employee to spot her. Once someone had, she requested the application.

Upon returning, the barista gave her a smile and handed the sheet to her, "Here you go. When you bring it back in, just make sure you have your I.D. with you so my boss can verify your age."

"How old do you have to be?" Annie asked with a grimace, she hadn't thought of that.

"Fifteen."

_Damn._ "I'll be thirteen in September," Annie offered pathetically.

The female employee gave her a shrug, "I'm sorry. You have to be at least fifteen to work the machines."

"What about a dishwasher or something? Could I apply for that?"

"Well we don't have a specific position for a dishwasher. Most of the baristas kind of do everything but…hold on a sec. The owner's here today so let me just…give me sec, okay?"

Annie nodded as the older girl ran off to the back room. Annie spared another glance around the room and sighed.

Moments later, the girl returned with the owner; an older woman, perhaps around her parent's age with dark red hair and bright green eyes.

"Hi there, Haley Viktor, I own the Cyber Café. I hear you want to apply for a job?"

Annie obliged the woman's outstretched hand and shook it, nodding as she spoke.

"Yes ma'am, I didn't know you had to be fifteen to work here but I thought maybe if you guys needed a dishwasher I could do that."

The woman nodded, listening, "What's your name?"

"Annie…Anneliese Hart," Annie said bashfully.

"And you're how old, Annie?"

"I'll be thirteen in September."

"Well, I'll tell you what, Annie Hart, come back in September when you _are_ thirteen and we'll see about setting you up as a dishwasher, how's that sound?"

"Really?"

The woman nodded as Annie gushed, "Thank you so much. Okay, awesome."

"Don't worry about the application for now," Haley told her as Annie nodded and handed the paper back.

"Thanks again!" Annie called back as she skipped out of the café. The older woman snorted and shook her head as she headed back to her office.

_June 12__th__, 2008_

_10:44am_

_Kimberly's House_

One week. One week until Kimberly and Annie would say good bye to Angel Grove for good.

Two weeks. Two weeks since Tommy and Kimberly had had sex. Add another twenty something weeks to that before they ever would again.

It wasn't as though Tommy was a fiend. He had self control, he was disciplined. Years spent learning and practicing the Martial Arts had taught him patience in attaining goals; that the journey was worth striving for, not the prize at the end.

But damn it all if he just wanted to get laid. Hell, he'd even settle for some heavy petting. Knowing Kimberly would be moved in and sharing the same bed, four months before the wedding even took place was agony. She'd already been over twice since the arrangement had been made, to which they'd painstakingly managed to behave themselves. Now he'd made that stupid bet with Jason which, ultimately shouldn't have mattered seeing as Kimberly's request to abstain held priority over some stupid pissing contest between him and his friend.

But Tommy's pride was far too great to let Jason win. Although currently, as he watched Kim's barely dressed body sweat and quiver as she hauled various boxes into her car, his resolve was quickly fading.

"You gonna help me?" Kim's annoyed voice suddenly rang in his ears. _Damn if she wasn't cute when she was mad._ Tommy just stared hungrily; her hands at her hips, her face flushed, wearing denim cut-offs that were criminally short and a tank top that dipped far too low in both the front and back for Tommy's comfort.

"Earth to Tommy!" Kim cried once more, waving an arm in front of his face. He shook off his trance and smiled.

"Sorry babe," he mumbled and cleared his throat, on his feet once more to help her load the car. Kim rolled her eyes and followed him back inside.

"Mom, where'd you put those books on oil painting?" Annie asked as Kim and Tommy walked through the house.

"Why do you need those now?" Kim asked exasperatedly.

Annie shrugged and played with the hem of her shirt, "I don't know," she pouted.

Was Kim going crazy? Was it the heat? Why did people pick these moments to act selfishly?

"They're in a box somewhere, Annie!" Kim sighed. "We'll find them later, okay?"

Annie nodded and hesitantly picked up a smaller box from the floor and brought it to the car.

"I need some water," Kim huffed as she shook her head and went toward the kitchen.

Tommy followed, holding another box to load up, "She's just anxious, Kim. You don't need to chew her head off."

Kim took a large gulp of her water and glared at the man, "You're not helping, either, I'll have you know. If you weren't so busy staring at my ass we'd be finished by now."

Tommy whined, "Kim, it's eleven o'clock in the morning! We have all day! And you still have a week before you _have_ to be out of here! Would you relax?"

"And thanks for making a bet with Jason about us," Kim added snidely, dropping the cup into the sink and storming off to grab another box.

Tommy sighed before slowly turning around to follow. Jason was a dead man.

"Who told you that?" Tommy yelled out, carrying the box down the driveway before stopping in front of the trunk beside Kim.

"Kat," Kim said without meeting his gaze.

"Oh what, you two are friendly now?" Tommy scoffed.

"About as much as _we_ are, jack ass!" Kim seethed, shooting him an icy glare before storming off.

Tommy wedged his box firmly into the car before slamming the hood down. Kim turned and stopped before the door to the house.

"Could you please not abuse my car?" She shouted, "I need it to drive to Reefside so I can move in with my skeazy boyfriend!"

"That's skeazy _fiancée_!" Tommy yelled back in complete seriousness.

"For now!" She threatened before heading back inside, "And put a goddamn shirt on!"

Tommy fumed, strangling the air with his hands. Scratch his previous thoughts; _Kat_ was a dead woman, and Kimberly wasn't cute when she was angry. _She was hot._

Tommy marched into the living room, ready to spur another fight with Kim when he noticed she was missing. He heard Annie's music faintly in the background and knew the younger girl had now retreated to her bedroom. Narrowing his gaze, he gritted his teeth and barreled down the hall toward Kim's room.

Kim shrieked as Tommy burst through the door, stopping cold at the sight in front of him.

His eyes bore into her. He was the bull and Kim the unknowing matador; as if the soft pink terry cloth wrapped around her otherwise naked body became a taunting flag the tighter her tiny fingers gripped around its edge, holding it in place.

"What the hell is your prob—"

Tommy rushed toward her, effectively slamming her against the wall as his mouth collided with hers, fighting with her hand still clutched to her towel.

He won the thumb war, prying her fingers away from the knot and whisking the towel out of the way quickly before his greedy hands immediately seized her breasts and hips. Kim gasped as she pressed her palms flat against the wall, overcome by Tommy's sudden attack.

His mouth moved hastily down her neck, his right hand still on her breasts as his left hand now dropped to backside and squeezed. Kim moaned and shut her eyes as Tommy bowed his head, hungrily swabbing his mouth about her breasts as his right now joined his left, fondling her rear fully.

He'd left no room for discussion, this would either see its end or stop abruptly; but it was up to her. _Damn it all. Damn it all to hell._

Kim whimpered and bit her lip as Tommy's tongue traced a line from her bosom and back up to her throat. Her arms flew up and out when his left hand suddenly dipped from behind and introduced two fingers into her moist opening.

"Oh…uh…." She moaned out as he snaked the digits around her slit.

Tommy remained silent, barely looking at her as he now lowered his other hand to her pulsing mound and slid two more fingers down to play with her.

Kim lowered her arms and pried them carefully in between their two bodies as her hands fumbled for his waistband. Unzipping him, but struggling with the button, Kimberly growled angrily as she forewent all pleasantries and simply shoved her hand down inside his pants, grabbing the hardened shaft that throbbed inside.

"Oh, fuc…." Tommy groaned the instant Kim's hand squeezed him. His own ministrations now halted slightly, far too preoccupied by Kim's tiny hand pumping his erection.

"Take it out, Take it out," Kim commanded breathlessly as Tommy hurriedly unfastened the temperamental button and shirked his pants and boxers down in one fell swoop.

"Oh…jes…Kim…" he whimpered as Kim forcefully grabbed his cock and pulled it toward her. His hands left her nether region and cupped her ass once more to lift her slightly along the wall as she steered him into her.

He held her by the hips as she clawed into his back, both driving hard thrusts at one another. He craned his neck to kiss her on the lips but instead received a mouthful of breast as she grabbed his head and forced it down onto the fleshy orb.

He took what he was given and fervently bathed every curve he could find with his tongue, taking her hardened nipple between his teeth and biting down ever so gently.

"Harder," she moaned, sinking her nails into his shoulder as he ground his hips hard against her own.

His legs started to shake as they got closer to climax, unable to support her weight. His knees buckled as he felt himself start to explode and they both screamed in pleasure and surprise as his muscles failed him and sent them both to the ground with a thud.

"Agh!" Kimberly shrieked.

"Ugh!" Tommy groaned painfully.

Kimberly laid on her back, her legs still somewhat wrapped around him as Tommy hovered over her, on his knees with his now softening member still tucked safely inside her.

They lied there for a moment, catching their breath before Tommy slowly pulled out and fell to the floor, rolling over onto his back. Kimberly stood up shakily at first before regaining her footing and retrieving her towel; saying not a word as she wrapped it around herself once more and stepped over Tommy's body into her bathroom, closing the door behind her.

He watched her silently from the ground before turning back to face the ceiling, the smallest smile creeping onto his lips.

_**AN: Oh boy, who saw that last part coming? No pun intended ;) Thought I'd end with something a little nicer this time. So what's next? We'll see! Catch ya on the flipside!**_


	41. Cradle and All

_**Pulse**_

_**AN: Goodness it's been awhile! Update if you need to! I'm sorry it's taken so long to post a new chapter for this. Unfortunately Pulse and Beauty and the Beast have been giving me a bit of writer's block. I did post a new story called "Shuffle", the first four chapters are up already. Please read and review! Hope this and "Shuffle" will tide you over. Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Chapter 41  
**__**Cradle and All  
**_

_June 28__th__, 2008  
__5:11pm  
__Tommy's House_

So they'd lost the bet. Jason didn't know that, nor was Tommy about to enlighten his friend that he'd just become a hundred dollars richer.

Unless of course, Annie told him, which she may have been inclined to do considering she'd obviously overheard them that day. Tommy had gotten redressed after they'd finished and Kim had disappeared into the bathroom. Emerging from Kim's door, looking slightly haggard and smelling musky, he ran face into his twelve year old daughter, staring back at him reproachfully.

They'd been avoiding prolonged contact ever since. It wasn't as though Annie didn't know her parents had sex. But whoever wants to think longingly on that? It was a truth she would have much rather have kept a blind eye to; but when her father had appeared in the hall, his hair disheveled, his face flushed and his brow sweaty, all forbidden imaginings came crashing down on her. Not to mention their ecstatic cries were hardly muffled, even over her stereo. She would have known what was happening even if she hadn't stumbled upon him afterwards.

Now that the girls had officially moved in, incidents like that one were doomed to repeat themselves, and Annie was starting to thank the heavens that her room had been built as far away from her parent's as possible.

Currently, Annie was in said room, sitting on her bed and strumming her guitar. She'd narrowed down her song choices for the wedding to a final three. Now she just had to make up her mind.

Tommy was in the kitchen, on his cell phone talking to a wedding coordinator about reserving a space for the event. Both Tommy and Kim had agreed to hold both the ceremony and after party in one space; having enjoyed that aspect of Tanya and Adam's.

It was more for convenience than anything else, and the couple had decided that while a lavish wedding could be more dramatic, an intimate and quirkier one was by far more romantic and fun.

Unfortunately, time was not on their side. Having given themselves six months to plan for everything, and Tommy having called a planner two months out, they were hard pressed to find a suitable location.

Kimberly was also on the phone, in the bedroom she now officially shared with Tommy. Though her phone call was more somber, having been conversing with her mother's doctor for the last hour. If need be she could easily dispense with the technicalities and just drive to see her mother. Caroline Hart and her second husband, Pierre Dumas had moved from Paris back to California just as the woman reentered the hospital. The American hospital in France had taken extraordinary care of Kim's mom but, as grave as the circumstances were becoming, Pierre had thought it best to return his wife back home to the states.

"Great, thank you," Kim said as she finally hung up the phone. She sighed and fell back onto the bed.

A soft rap came at the door as Tommy leaned against the frame and gave her a smile.

"You okay?"

Kim shook her head into the pillow, "I don't want to talk about it."

Tommy nodded and shove his hands into his pockets, "Jason beeped in when I was on the phone with the wedding planner. He and Kat are bringing over KFC for dinner."

"Just what I need," Kim said humorlessly. "All their lovey-dovey bullshit and fried chicken."

"Kim," Tommy started as Kim continued to mutter mindlessly to herself.

"KFC…"she mused, "Kim Feels Crappy…"

Tommy snickered, "I'll leave you alone then," he said, turning to leave before Kim stopped him.

"What'd you find out?" She asked, referring to his rental space search. Tommy spun back to face her and shrugged.

"Well, Margaret's driving me crazy," Tommy started, "She must have sons cause she got way too much pleasure out of scolding me about waiting until now to find a space."

"So nothing?"

Tommy shook his head, "Not yet but she's looking. I think we'd be better off doing it ourselves."

"Her name's Marjorie," Kim informed him absently, staring up at the ceiling.

"What?"

"The wedding planner. You said Margaret. It's Marjorie."

Tommy snickered and laughed at himself, "I called her Margaret the entire time!"

Kimberly had to giggle, "Well then, serves her right for not correcting you."

"Do you want me to come get you when they get here?" Tommy asked, coming over to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Whatever," she breathed, her gaze still focused above.

Tommy gave her a sad smile and bent down to kiss her forehead before standing back up and quietly shutting the door behind him.

Jason and Kat arrived around a little after six, proudly carrying three large buckets of chicken, two huge boxes of biscuits and an assortment of sides.

"Hey, hey, good lookin' whatcha got cookin?" Jason cried out bombastically as he and Kat entered the house.

Tommy had returned to the kitchen after checking in on Kim, deciding to make another round of phone calls to various people regarding the wedding. He stopped his pacing and glanced over his shoulder at their arrival.

He finished up his conversation and snapped the phone shut.

"Thanks for picking up food," Tommy said as he took one of the bags from Kat.

"It's our pleasure," Kat told him with a smile as she followed him to the kitchen.

"If only we could buy all our other friends' with dinner and gifts," Jason said flippantly.

"Jason," Kat admonished quietly as she and Tommy started unloading their bags onto the kitchen table.

"Just kidding," he defended, setting his own bags down on the counter and began unpacking them as well.

"I'm gonna go get Annie and Kim," Tommy said, throwing out the bag. "Jason can show you where all the plates and stuff are," he added toward Kat.

Kat nodded as she and Jason continued setting up the meal.

"Annie! Food's here!" He called out as he made his way upstairs to fetch Kim.

"Coming!" Annie shouted from her room as Tommy reached the landing and knocked softly on his bedroom door.

"Come in," Kim said behind the barrier.

Tommy entered and gave her a smile as she peeked her head out from the bathroom.

"I'm just getting cleaned up," she told him.

Tommy nodded and took a seat on the bed while he waited, "How you feeling?"

"Much better. I called Aisha and told her about our idea for the wedding. She and Zack are totally in!"

Tommy nodded, "Awesome. Yeah, I decided to call Adam about that too. He loves it but he suggested hiring a real band to accompany everyone. That way our friends can join us while the band continues playing."

Kim considered the thought and nodded happily, "Oh, that's true. Good thinking."

"I thought so too. I started looking for musicians but I didn't call anyone. I wasn't sure what kind of band you'd want."

Kim shrugged as she fiddled with her bangs, "What kind of instruments is everyone playing again?"

Tommy leaned back onto the bed, his hands resting behind his head, "A piano or keyboard…depending, guitar…more singers than you can shake a stick at."

Kim giggled, "Okay so, we could get an acoustic rock band or something like that,"

Tommy snickered, "You want Steely Dan to play at our wedding?"

Kim laughed and turned off the bathroom light before entering the bedroom. "I didn't say _soft_ acoustic rock…"

Tommy just kept laughing, "Beautiful, whatever you want. This one's your call."

Kim mused, biting her lip as she sat on the edge of the bed beside him; absently playing with the hem of his pant leg.

"I think something kind of simple and folky could be cool," she said finally.

"Simple and folky it is then," he smiled at her. "Food's here if you're hungry."

"Eh, but I'll come down," she shrugged as they stood up and headed for the kitchen.

Jason had thought to move their meal out onto the back deck, taking advantage of the early evening breeze.

He, Annie and Kat were already sitting around the table, dishing themselves helpings of everything when Kim and Tommy finally emerged to join them.

"Pouts McGee and Scatterbrain," Jason lovingly acknowledged.

Kim rolled her eyes as Tommy snickered, "You're gonna run out of nicknames one of these days," Kim warned playfully as she took a seat beside Kat.

Jason laughed, "Never."

Tommy saddled up beside Annie, Jason on his other side. The young girl gave her father a bashful grin and offered the mashed potatoes she'd just plated for herself.

"Thank you," he obliged.

"This is awesome, thanks," Annie said as she reached across the table to grab a biscuit.

Jason squeezed her shoulder lovingly and Kat smiled; everyone pleasantly silent for the moment as they enjoyed their food.

"So, have you guys found a place yet?" Jason piped up, biting into a chicken leg.

Kim shook her head as Tommy replied, "Not yet. _Marjorie_," he winked at Kim, "Keeps yelling at me for waiting this long."

"What about the Cyber Café?" Annie suggested, shoving a forkful of macaroni into her mouth.

Kim's ears perked up as Tommy looked skeptical. Jason and Kat gave each other looks before turning to the other couple.

"The Cyber Café?" Tommy repeated.

"That could actually work," Kim said excitedly.

"But it's a…_café_…" Tommy said pathetically.

"Adam and Tanya had theirs at the Youth Center!" Jason reminded them.

"Yeah but that was like, sentimental," Kat reasoned in Tommy's stead.

"Exactly!" Tommy agreed with the blonde, nodding.

"I could talk to the owner," Annie chimed in, though her comment went unheard.

"It's totally cute and big enough!" Kim said.

"It is a pretty rad space," Jason concurred, siding with Kim.

"I could talk to the owner," Annie repeated again, growing frustrated.

"Well," Tommy started to give in, "What do you think, Kim?"

"I totally love it!" She squealed.

"Really?" He remained unconvinced.

"Really," She assured him.

Tommy nodded and gave her a small smile from across the table, "Then I'll make some calls tomorrow."

"Fantastic," Kim chirped.

"Would somebody please pay attention to me?" Annie practically shouted. The four adults stopped in the tracks and turned to the girl.

"Thank you," she said sulkily, "I can talk to the owner if you want. I met her the other day when I tried to get a job."

Kim bit her lip, embarrassed for having ignored her daughter's outcry. "Thank you, sweetie. That would be a great help."

"You're welcome," Annie pouted, still shaking off her annoyance.

"You want to go together?" Tommy asked her, nudging her elbow.

Annie fought off a smile, "Sure."

Tommy ruffled her hair as she whined, the two laughed for a second while play fighting each other for a moment.

"Uh, could the two children please knock it off?" Jason jokingly scolded. "We're eating."

Annie stuck her tongue out, to which Tommy followed. The group laughed before resuming the rest of the meal.

"This is amazing," Kim said after a second, "It's all coming together."

"We haven't gotten the place yet, beautiful," Tommy reminded her. Kim shrugged and smiled anyway.

"What about fittings and stuff like that? A friend of mine in Los Angeles does custom tailoring," Kat offered. "I could contact her if you'd like."

Kim looked to Tommy, "Once we figure out colors," she said grimly, giving Tommy a peeved look.

"It's my fault, I know. I can't decide," He conceded, holding up his hands apologetically.

"Aww, that's cute. You guys want to agree," Jason said teasingly.

Kim threw her napkin at him, "Why should the bride have to figure out the colors alone?"

"I agree," Kat said, purely for solidarity.

"Thank you," Kim said with a nod.

Tommy laughed, "And I agree too. But you're just gonna have to wait until I make up my mind."

Jason rolled his eyes, "That could take forever!"

Kim laughed as Tommy pouted, "He's pickier than I am!" She said to her brotherly friend.

"What colors did you pick then, Kim?" Kat asked finally.

"Pink and Black," She said with a slight cringe, "Which I know sounds totally un-wedding-like but, it's in the fall so we can get away with darker colors and—"

"_I'm_ pickier?" Tommy alluded, cutting her off.

"I helped her decide," Annie chimed in. Tommy shook his head.

"I think that could look really sleek," Kat said while nodding.

"And what?" Jason reasoned to Tommy, "You don't like that combo?"

Tommy shrugged, "It's just really dark."

"Well you two better agree soon cause you're running out of time," Jason said.

"I keep telling him that," Kim sang.

"I know!" Tommy sighed, "We'll work it out. It'll be fine."

"Pink and black…"Annie mused quietly, proud she had somehow helped her mother decide a very important detail of the wedding.

Once full, the group of five began cleaning up the table, several hands grabbing various Styrofoam containers and plastic flatware and napkins as they made a scattered conveyer back and forth from deck to kitchen and back again.

"I think I'm gonna take a walk along the beach, anybody want to join me?" Tommy said with a lingering glance at Kim.

Kim gave him a regretful smile as she scraped a plate off into the trash, "Sorry, baby. I should probably try to get a hold of my mom."

He leaned over and kiss her cheek before setting his own plate in the sink. "Anybody else?"

"I'm gonna head back to my room and veg," Annie said with a shrug.

"I have to finish coordinating my schedule for the holiday," Jason said sadly as Kat made a face. He cuddled up beside her and squeezed her hip.

"Oh yeah, what does everyone want to do for the 4th of July?" Kim wondered.

"Can we see fireworks?" Annie nearly pleaded as she danced back and forth between her parents.

Tommy laughed, "Of course."

"We could probably grill out and see some from here," Jason offered.

"That could be fun," Kim declared, meeting the group's gaze.

"Sounds great," Kat said low as she placed a chaste kiss on Jason's cheek. "Tommy, I guess I'll join you for that walk."

"Great. Let me just change my shoes and I'll meet you back down here in five," he told her as he and Kim retreated back upstairs while Annie wandered down the hall to her room.

"I'm really glad to be included in everything again," Kat said as Jason released her and threw away the last pieces of trash.

"Me too," he said with a bitter chuckle.

"I guess I should probably change my shoes too," she said, looking down.

"Well you better go do that," Jason smiled, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

Kat smiled against his mouth, "I'm quite fond of you Mr. Scott," she said softly.

He smirked and clipped her nose playfully with his thumb, "I'm pretty fond of you too, Miss Hillard."

She giggled before pulling away slowly and heading off to his room to fetch a new pair of shoes for her walk.

_June 28__th__, 2008  
__8:53pm  
__Tommy's House_

"So, how does it feel to know that Kimberly will soon be _Mrs. Oliver_?"

"Wow, that's quite an opening line," Tommy said with a smirk despite his otherwise stunned expression.

Kat giggled, "Well, I always had a way with words," she mused.

Tommy nodded amusedly as he shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He and Kat had barely stepped onto the sand when she'd delivered the breathtaking question.

"It's beyond my comprehension," he sighed longingly.

Kat smiled sadly and nodded, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "I can't say enough how happy I am for you both."

"Thanks."

"You know, back in high school I had this, blink of an eye, batty moment where I hoped _I'd_ someday marry you."

Tommy glanced over at her with a suddenly nervous expression, "You did?"

Kat laughed, "Take it easy Tommy, I'm not hitting on you!" He seemed to relax a bit at this as she continued. "I just think it's amazing how things like this always seem to work out for the best. You and I were never the couple you and Kim are."

Tommy gave her a humble smile as he laced his arm through hers; locking their elbows together while they walked. It was an affectionate but platonic gesture that assured the woman she was still cared for despite the upheaval she'd caused.

"What about Billy?" He asked as he felt the sand sink beneath his feet.

Kat sighed and gave him a sad smile, "I really cared about Billy," she started slowly. "I still do."

"But?" Tommy urged.

"Do you believe in fate?" Kat asked wistfully. Tommy arched an eyebrow and gave her a curious smile.

"Because I do and, I don't believe Billy and I were ever supposed to stay together."

"So you believe it was your fate to cheat on him with Jason?" Tommy asked bluntly. There was no easy way to say that so he'd just simply _said it._

Kat cringed as Tommy's words were spoke, "No…" She began carefully, "That was definitely _my _choice but, I think it was fate that it was Jason."

Tommy snickered. Her theory was difficult for him to buy into.

"Everybody loves to say it's fate when things go their way. Do you think Billy sees what happened to him as his fate?"

Kat chewed her lip and shook her head ruefully, "No, I suppose not."

"Maybe it's still too soon to be talking about this," he said quietly.

"Yeah, maybe it is," Kat agreed, "Sorry."

Tommy just nodded but remained right beside her, his arm still locked around hers as they continued to walk in silence, the expansive ocean mocking them with its stillness.

"The truth is; Billy liked me more than I liked him," Kat blurted out after a minute or two. Tommy's silence was ruthless, she needed to speak.

Tommy sighed and nodded, "And that, my friend, is called karma. _Which I_ _do believe in."_

Kat's jaw tightened, knowing her friend's words to be harsh but true. She'd been utterly smitten with Tommy when they'd dated but the degree of affection was one-sided. At the time, and despite their fairly amicable break up, Kat couldn't understand why Tommy hadn't liked her the way she'd liked him.

The irony was downright laughable.

"Touché," she snickered bitterly.

Tommy chuckled as they came up to a small bank of stairs at the end of the property and swung around to walk back toward the house.

"I'm glad you can be honest about the real issue Kat but, that doesn't excuse anything you know?"

Kat chewed her lip fervently. Tommy's ability to be brutally honest without a trace of malice was something to admire, even if it hurt to hear.

"Can I be even more candid?" Kat asked, though Tommy knew she'd reveal whatever was on her mind with or without his permission. But he nodded anyway, silently giving her the floor to speak.

"I think I wanted Billy to catch me so he'd have an excuse to break up with me."

"Didn't quite go as planned, did it?"

"No," she said quietly. "I realized what an awful idea that was almost immediately."

"Not fast enough," Tommy couldn't help but say.

"If you're obviously still this mad at me, how can you even look at me? Talk with me? Invite me into your house?"

"Kat," Tommy said, stopping them for a moment and relinquishing his arm from hers, "I care about you. You're still a good friend. But there's still a lot of loose ends to this story and more keep springing up. And you forget my dear, we dated. I know you better than you think I do."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You can stop with the coy bullshit," he clarified, though somehow not nastily. His words were firm but never mean.

"I haven't the foggiest—"

"Like I said at the wedding, don't flatter yourself," he reminded her.

Kat now crossed her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes as they resumed their gait.

"You think I get some sick enjoyment from all of this?"

"I think you like the drama more than you let on, yes."

Kat was fuming, "I know the temptation to villianize me must be driving you mad but I really don't think your assessment is fair."

Tommy scoffed in her face. Something in her phrasing just then, reminded him of Billy.

"You're just sore that I can still call you out after all this time."

"Considering how uninvolved you were with our relationship, I'm surprised you still can. I didn't think you'd paid that much attention to me then."

"You were wrong," Tommy said snidely.

"That's a loaded comment."

Tommy laughed in spite of himself as they approached the house once more and started up the driveway.

"Well, no offense but, this was the least relaxing walk on the beach I've ever taken," He said with hands in his pockets.

Kat had her arms wrapped around herself, protectively, "None taken. You're a good friend Tommy. I hope you stay a better boyfriend to Kim than you were to me."

She hadn't said her last barb bitingly, though she felt the need to keep harping on his indifference when they'd been involved. It would always be a sore spot and provided great leverage whenever they got into terse conversations.

"I hope you stay a better girlfriend to Jason than you were to Billy," he calmly replied.

Kat snickered; she'd set herself up for that one. "You're on a roll," she muttered.

He gave her a shrug and led them back inside the house. Jason emerged from his room to greet the two friends but furrowed his brow as Kat skimmed past him and retreated down the hall. The former red Ranger turned his attention toward Tommy, knowing full well something had triggered Katherine's sensitivity.

"What happened?"

Tommy sighed and shrugged, "We're fine. She's fine," he said curtly, "Just residual animosity."

Jason snickered, "Two big words for the price of one," he said with a roll of his eyes, "I hope I can calm her down."

"Just give her a minute," Tommy instructed, retrieving his cell phone from his pocket as it buzzed against his thigh.

Jason shook his head as Tommy answered his phone. Marjorie the wedding planner, calling about a few finds she'd picked up.

"I think we may have a prospect," Tommy explained to the woman as he glanced back to watch Jason grab a beer from the fridge and pad back toward his bedroom.

"Great, thanks. Okay, I sure will. Yes, I understand. Bye," Tommy said quickly before snapping the phone shut and heading up the stairs to his own room.

Kim bestowed him a sleepy smile as he entered the room, collapsing onto the bed beside her.

"How was your walk?" She wondered as she pushed her notebook aside and motioned for him to rest his head in her lap.

He obliged as she stroked his forehead lightly, "Kat and I kind of got into it."

Kim gave him a sad smile, "I'm sorry."

He shrugged into her, "Its okay, nothing serious."

"What time are you and Annie going to check out the Cyber Café?"

"I'm thinking around two," he said with a yawn.

"I might have to drive to Santa Barbara," Kim told him.

Tommy lifted his head and sat up to face her, "When? You want me to come with you?"

"That'd be great," she said with a nod, "I think I'm going after the 4th."

"Do you want to take Annie?"

"She hasn't seen her Nana in a few years but, I don't know if I want Annie to see her like this. She's gonna be all doped up and tired from the chemo."

Tommy grimaced. Kim's candor was especially bitter whenever she felt troubled.

"I'll stay here with Annie then," he told her with a nod, wrapping a lazy arm around her shoulder as she now rested her head against his chest.

"No, I want you to come with me. I'll ask Annie if she wants to but, Jason can stay here with her if she decides not to go."

"Whatever you want to do beautiful."

"I got my room assignment," Kim said suddenly, effectively changing the subject. Tommy gave her a small smile. He knew her fragmented thoughts were merely a sign of stress. There wasn't much he could do to alleviate the grief she'd been feeling over her mother's illness; and he was in the same boat regarding the wedding plans. These next few months were sure to be chaotic at best. He could only pray things didn't get worse.

"Where are you?" He asked, relinquishing his hold as she wandered across the room to retrieve a folder from her bag.

"AH309," she recited the number on the scribed note card she'd received.

"Hey, my room is 309 too," Tommy said merrily.

"Really?" She asked.

"Well…SS309 but, that's kind of cool, right? That we have the same number?"

"We _are_ adorable like that," Kim said somewhat mockingly as she rounded the bed once more and collapsed beside Tommy.

He pulled her into him and she fought him not, tracing an absent finger along his jaw as she stared up at him.

"Does this mean our classrooms are close by?"

"Nope," he explained with a sigh, "There about as far away from one another as two rooms can get."

Kim huffed in frustration, "Well that sucks," she groaned, rolling over onto her stomach.

Tommy watched her for a moment as she whipped her hair around and turned to face him.

"Do you want to stop by the school before we check out the space tomorrow? The café is close by."

Kim nodded into her pillow, causing Tommy to chuckle as his hand slid beneath Kim's shirt, massaging the bare skin of her back.

Kim moaned appreciatively as he continued his ministrations, sliding his other hand under the fabric and turning on his side for a better angle.

He started high, around her shoulder blades, kneading and squeezing her soft flesh.

"That…feels…good…" she mumbled sleepily.

Tommy smiled but remained silent, intent on lulling her to sleep with his strong massage.

"Love…you…" Kim muttered against the downy surface, her eyes fluttering as her body finally gave in and surrendered to its exhaust.

Holding her shirt pushed up toward her neck, Tommy leaned over and placed a tender kiss on her lower back, though Kim did not stir. He smiled, thankful that Kim's worried mind could now relish brief respite while she slept.

"I love you too," he whispered, closing in on her neck with one more kiss before falling back onto his own pillow. One hand still cradling the dip in Kim's lower back, mindlessly brushing his calloused fingers over the milkier textured skin before finally succumbing to his own bout of sleep.

_June 29__th__, 2008  
__1:16 pm  
__Reefside High School_

"Jesus! What is this place, a friggin' mall?"

Tommy laughed as he shrugged, his hands casually stuffed in his pockets as he and Kim rounded another corner inside the building.

Reefside High was a newly rehabbed structure; with half of its existing façade merely eight years old. The main building, a three story salt box design complete with concrete walls and day-glow golden lockers; dated back to approximately 1970. The front entrance, built in 2000, sported a much cleaner design; steel frames, fiberglass and UV protected windows. The former housed the most basic classrooms; English and Foreign Languages on the first floor, mostly Math and Social Studies on the second and finally, Physical and Applied Sciences on the third floor. A few newer subjects had been scattered throughout, when space became available. There were a few Math classes on the top level and one or two requisite Social Studies. Tommy's class, Paleontology, was also on the third floor.

Currently, the couple had just passed through the cafeteria, an expansive concrete room that had been given a fresh coat of paint only when the remodeling had started. Having made a lap around each floor and two per stairwell, they finally found themselves back at the front entrance; an impressive 100 foot domed cage, complete with floor to ceiling glass panels.

"This is what is known as 'the Death Star," Tommy explained as he gestured before them.

Kim gawked as they made their way up the steps. Included in the glorified entryway, was a half flight of stairs that led up to the auditorium. Directly across from the theatre, were two more half flights, one leading to the main offices on the official second floor while the other led to the library. And standing proudly in the center of the second floor foyer, was the grand staircase that led to the third floor; complete with a giant gold statue of the school's mascot at the top.

"This is like an M.C. Escher painting," Kim muttered as they stepped onto the landing. "Join the Rebellion," she quoted, reading the giant, engraved letters underneath her feet.

A rather large and ostentatious logo decorated the floor; a replica of the Star Wars Rebel Force insignia. Above the school's fighting mantra were the more appropriate initials of the school.

"That's why they call this the Death Star?" Kim clarified aloud, motioning between the maze of stairways and the school's emblem.

Tommy nodded, "Yep. The school's been around long enough to have lived through all the movies, and they just keep running the theme further into the ground."

"So it's the Reefside Rebels?"

"Yep."

"Join the Rebellion," Kim mused once again, shaking her head in amusement as Tommy pointed out the name inscribed on the auditorium wall.

"That's Anton Mercer Hall," he explained, "He's the man I worked for while I was getting my degree."

Kim considered this information, "Why does he get his own auditorium?"

"His son, er…well, _adopted_ son, is in the Arts, so I'd imagine he's donated a lot of money to the school for those programs."

"I'd say," Kim snorted, "You don't see a Kimberly Hart Hall or a Thomas Oliver Science Institute, do you?"

Tommy snickered, "You might have him in one of your classes; Trent Fernandez."

"Do any of these staircases actual lead to my classroom?" Kim asked, in her own world.

"Here, we'll loop around behind the offices and past the Counseling rooms," Tommy explained, ushering her ahead of him. "All the art classes are up the ramp in the annex."

Kim stared back at him wildly, "There's an _annex?_ _And a ramp?_ Is my room still in California?"

Tommy laughed before dipping his head down quickly and stealing a quick kiss from Kimberly before resuming their gait.

Kim bit her lip and smiled, gladly allowing Tommy to hold her by the hips from behind as he pushed them down the hall.

Giddy and the slightest shade of inappropriate for their age, the two lovebirds flirtatiously stumbled around the corner that led to the Art classes.

"Tom?" A woman's voice sounded from behind.

Kim and Tommy ceased the reverie and turned to view the voice's source. A tall brunette, close if not younger than them in age was staring at them cautiously.

Tommy cleared his throat as Kim pulled away from his grasp and shifted nervously.

"Danielle," Tommy started, extending his hand to greet the woman.

The woman smiled as she took his hand, seemingly star struck. Kim rolled her eyes as boyfriend's adoring fan began to speak again.

"We missed you at the faculty picnic," Danielle shared, verging on whining. "Hannah Feldman and I were hoping you'd make good with your promise."

Kim's jaw clenched furtively as the woman conspicuously played with the collar of her shirt as she spoke; inviting Tommy's gaze to her exposed collarbone.

Tommy laughed and in an instant, performed the number one tell tale sign of his most notorious fault. With a bashful grin and the slightest tilt of his head he said, "I'm sorry, Danielle. But I forgot what that was?"

Kim's jaw loosened as she laughed in spite of her jealousy, "Oh Tommy," she thought to herself.

Danielle was unphased by his shortcoming and gave him a playful smack on his arm, letting her hand rest on his bicep a little too long for Kim's liking.

"You said you'd show us some Karate moves," the young woman chirped. "You remember that long talk we had in the lounge that day? I was so impressed to hear a science teacher knew how to do that stuff, I practically begged you to show me one of these days."

And once again, Kim's man delivered the only known remedy to his elusive memory problem. He smiled: a crooked grin just shy of a smirk accompanied by a regretful sigh and two overused words that somehow sounded new when he spoke them.

"I'm sorry."

Danielle pursed her lips, as if threatening to be angry but couldn't due to the man's adorableness.

"You're forgiven," she said with a wink. "You're coming back for the new term, right? You could still show me at the fall picnic."

The woman's words snapped Tommy's focus back to Kim, glancing over his shoulder her motioned for her to join him at his side.

"Yes, I will be back in the fall," he began, holding out his hand for Kim. He suppressed a frown when Kim ignored his gesture and simply held out her hand for Danielle to take.

"Hi, I'm Kimberly Hart. I'll also be here for the new term," Kim said tersely.

Danielle took her hand nervously, slightly taken aback by Kim's sudden introduction.

The young woman was still unsure who Kimberly was; though having witnessed her behavior with Tommy before greeting them, she had a pretty good idea.

"Danielle Hiegl," the woman said, "I teach Biology."

Kim nodded tightly, wondering how Biology had anything to do with anything.

"I'm the new Art teacher."

Danielle's eyes widened in what Kim could have sworn was delight, "Oh you poor thing. All the way out here in the annex!"

"I tried to tell her," Tommy said with a shrug as he and Danielle shared a knowing chuckle.

Kim joined in the laughter, though the look in her eyes betrayed the joy she displayed.

"I got lucky, my classroom's just on the third floor,' Danielle said. "Even luckier that I'm right next door to this guy," she added, that damnable lingering hand falling onto Tommy's arm once again.

"And lucky for me I already know Karate," Kim snapped, mocking the girl's previous ignorant tone.

"Do you?" Danielle wondered, not understanding Kim's barb.

"Oh yes," Kim said devilishly, lacing her arm around Tommy's and causing Danielle to pull away slightly. "He's taught me all of his moves."

Danielle snickered, picking up the other woman's meaning implicitly. If carefully selected words were the piss and Tommy was the tree; Kim had effectively marked her territory.

"Well…I should head back to my classro—I was just…ya know, going over some things….prepari….anyway. Nice to meet you Kimberly. Tom; always a pleasure. See you later."

Kim glared at the girl as her departing sentiment to Tommy was uttered, then she laughed. Tommy merely waved goodbye and pulled Kim closer into his side, spinning them back around toward the ramp.

"Tom?" Kim question aloud to no one in particular. 'Tom' was such a foreign address to her beau. She'd heard him called 'Thomas' before, even 'T.J.' but she'd forever refer to him as 'Tommy'. Anything else just sounded weird.

"I totally forgot about that," Kim sighed.

"What?" Tommy looked down to face her.

She returned his gaze and stared up with a laugh.

Tommy's brow furrowed, "What?"

"I totally forgot how often women hit on you."

Tommy's face contorted, his mouth agape, "What? Her? You think Danielle was hitting on me?"

Kim gave Tommy a stern look, "You poor bastard."

He snickered, "What's that for? I don't underst—there's no….Danielle Hiegl was not hitting on me!"

"Honey, yes she was. I need to remind myself to get used to this."

"Get used to…You really think she was hitting on me? I mean, flirting definitely but…not like, actually….no…..really?"

Kim stopped him, pulling away from his waist but holding his hand, "You really don't have a clue do you?"

"What? When women hit on me?"

"_Why_ they hit on you," Kim corrected. "You have no idea how absolutely gorgeous you are, do you?"

Tommy's face scrunched, embarrassed but flattered all at once, "Get out of town…"

Kim bit her lip and smiled, "I'm serious."

"Cut that out," he insisted uncomfortably. Indeed, his humble nature was indelible and absolutely attractive.

She prodded him deliberately with a finger to his chest, toying with the buttons on his collared shirt, "I love you. And you're even sexier for not knowing how sexy you are."

Tommy liked the sound of that. He tugged on her hands and pulled her back to him, swaying against her body. "Why do _you_ get to be sexier when you _know_ you are but _I'm_ sexier when I don't know I am?"

Kim giggled, "Oh, it's all a terrible double standard, my love."

Tommy laughed, tugging on her hands once again to lead them up the ramp.

"Here she is, the Arts and Humanities annex," he displayed proudly.

Kim nodded, not half bad, she assessed. The walls were older but thicker out here. That's the only way she could refer to the annex; _out here_. Albeit just down a hallway from the rest of the building…the ramp that led them here was still long.

But the Arts Annex had a certain charm to it, and surprisingly advanced interiors to each classroom despite their dated outward appearance.

"Wow, state of the art, eh?" She quipped, running her hand down the sleek paneled front door of her classroom. There it was, freshly installed; a square plaque designating the contents of the room.

_AH309_

_APPLIED ARTS_

_K. HART_

"You're officially official," Tommy said cheekily.

Kim laughed, staring at the newly inserted name plate that held her moniker.

"Should I have it changed to 'K. Oliver' when the time comes?" She glanced back at him with a smirk.

Tommy beamed and grabbed her by the waist once more, hugging her tightly. "I like the sound of that."

"Me too," she chirped.

"We should head back to the house and pick up Annie," He said after a moment, glancing at his watch.

"Can we take the long way around the building so I can see the rest?" She requested.

Tommy nodded and offered her his hand, strolling quite contently as they finished their tour.

_June 29th, 2008  
__2:20pm  
__Haley's Cyber Café_

They were running late. Since Annie had had no desire to tour around the high school, Tommy had effectively backtracked from his house to the school and back again to pick up the young girl.

Thankfully, Annie assured him the owner of the space, Haley Viktor, had been flexible on how exactly on time they needed to be. He could only hope she wasn't merely saving face. If he lost this potential prospect, Kim would be devastated, and he wasn't sure if they'd find another venue in time.

Driving at a more than uncomfortable speed with his teenaged daughter in the car, Tommy slid into an available parking spot and quickly rounded the car to help out Annie.

"Why don't you find Haley, okay?" Tommy suggested, leading them inside. "I'm gonna check out the space again."

Annie nodded, making a beeline for the counter as Tommy panned the café, trying to imagine the setting.

"Could I speak to Haley Viktor?"

The young employee gave Annie a polite smile, "She's out on the floor somewhere. I can page her if you like?"

Annie shook her head, "That's okay. I'll find her. Thanks."

The barista nodded and turned away as Annie went in search of the café's owner. Tommy, in the meantime, had found his way to a far corner of the establishment, staring at the expanse in an effort to determine theoretical placements for all of Kim's wedding requests.

"Ooof!" A woman exclaimed as Tommy felt his back collide into her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," he apologized, spinning around to face the woman.

"Wow," she muttered, though bluntly. Tommy gave her a bashful grin.

"Haley!" Annie cried out as the woman looked beyond Tommy's shoulder. The young girl came bounding towards the two adults.

"Annie!" Haley returned, her gaze still affixed on the handsome man she'd bumped into.

"You're Haley?" Tommy said inquisitively, pleasantly surprised. Haley Viktor was his age, perhaps only a year or two older. Her long, auburn hair pulled back in a rather constrictive ponytail. Her large green eyes seemed almost eerie against her pale skin. She was not conventionally attractive, but something in her intense gaze left Tommy a bit fumbling.

"Haley, this is my dad, Tommy," Annie piped up again, stopping to stand beside him.

"Wow," Haley said again, shaking his extended hand absently, "You're seriously good looking."

Annie mirrored her father's wide eyed expression. Tommy quickly relinquished his hand and shoved it deep into his pocket. Annie grimaced at her father's silence and bit her lip, unsure how to amend the awkward situation.

Haley remained ogling Tommy, before Annie cleared her throat.

"Umm, we came here to ask you about using the café for the wedding," Tommy explained quietly.

Haley's reverie came crashing down; her smirk instantly fading into a look of unmatchable horror.

"Oh my god," she breathed. Annie rolled her eyes as her father nodded in the wake of Haley's realization.

"Thank you though," the man quickly recovered, "I'm flattered."

"Oh my god," Haley repeated, shaking her head. "No, no, no. That's….that was…I'm so unbelievably…I'm….I'm so sorry!"

Annie snickered and slumped into a nearby chair as Tommy attempted to assuage the woman, "It's really okay. Umm, about renting the space?"

"Nice one, Haley," the woman cursed herself. "Of course you're who you are. And I knew that. I mean, I…Annie told me, she called me and told me you'd be coming here for that and you're married…_er…getting_ _married._ I'm just…umm…would you excuse me? For a moment?"

Tommy obliged as he watched the older woman nod feebly and stumble away toward her office.

Annie snickered once more, receiving a perplexed look from Tommy.

"She seems nice. A little odd but, nice."

Annie snickered.

Tommy chuckled good-naturedly as Haley returned with a folder, looking slightly flushed but calmer than before.

"Okay," she began, "Sorry about that. Umm, I just need to say this so please don't interrupt me and feed me obligatory consolations. I'm a grown woman, I'm from the East coast, I'm used to speaking my mind, I was the only woman in my class at MIT to graduate in the top percentile of my class, not to mention valedictorian. I own my own business, I've been told I'm a bit too intense and headstrong for my own good but I'm good at what I do and I don't believe in compromising yourself and who you are just because some people can't handle it. I don't apologize for the comment I made regarding your appearance, for to apologize would imply that I didn't mean what I said…which I do. However I am regretful…for causing any unnecessary tension and awkwardness between father and daughter, perhaps either of you having to suffer any subsequent repercussions with your umm, spouse to be…and potentially injuring a _potential_…client and/or employee, blah, blah, blah, relationship."

Annie's eyes widened as she stifled a giggle. Tommy furrowed his brow, more out of concentration. Deciphering large words en masse was not his strength. He gave the woman a humble smile and nodded slowly, a technique that had got him through many a conversation with Billy in the past.

Haley gave a nervous laugh at the pair's silence, "So, here's all the pertinent information you'll need about the space. Umm, I would need to know the dates and times you'd be planning to rent out the space and of course, any details regarding other services you'd expect or request my staff and me to accomplish. Umm, yeah…I don't foresee there being a problem with renting out my café. Thank you for the opportunity to host such a prestigious event in your life and well, for the business…obviously."

Tommy nodded again and finally took a seat next to Annie. Haley followed suit, slipping quickly into the chair across the table.

"Do you have any questions?" Haley began again, her pen poised atop her notepad, "I can take down any immediate details now."

Tommy, still amazed and overwhelmed by the woman's intensity, just stared at her for a moment before being nudged under the table by Annie.

"Oh! Yes," Tommy said dutifully, "Umm, we'd liked to have both the ceremony and the reception here," he started, watching Haley obediently jot down her notes as he spoke.

"It'll be on the 5th of October."

"That's a Thursday, yes?" Haley pondered.

Tommy attempted the math in his head, to no avail. Luckily, Haley merely nodded.

"It's a Thursday," she repeated confidently. "Trust me."

Tommy gave her a weak smile before continuing, "Umm, do you cater?"

"Well, I never have. So I can't technically speak in typical terms. And my food selection is limited, _naturally._ But I could certainly recommend places to order from and then I could always hire my staff in lieu of you hiring _me _and pay them to work the event."

Tommy nodded slowly, though this time is wasn't from not understanding what she'd said, but the reasons _why_ certain people insisted on phrasing things in such a way. Wouldn't it have been easier for this woman to have simply said; _No, I don't cater?_

"That sounds great," Tommy finally answered.

Haley nodded and proceeded to fill her notepad with further instructions, "What type of food did you have in mind?"

Tommy gave Annie a quick look for affirmation. The girl simply shrugged.

"Well, Kim and I haven't really hashed that out yet."

"Kim?" Haley questioned, "She's the bride?"

"Yes. Kim. Kimberly," Tommy supplied.

Haley nodded and seemed to jot down a note afterwards.

"Is there anything we'll need to do internally? Space, set-up wise?" She asked before laughing and amending her own statement, "I say _'we'_ as if my entire staff of twenty odd teenagers and college students are _really_ going to help but let's be honest, I mean _me_. Is there anything _I'll _need to do to prep the space for the event?"

"Well, here's a floor plan Kim drew up," Tommy said, pulling out a quarter folded piece of paper from his wallet and handing it to the woman.

Haley unfolded the sheet and wrote a few notes before scanning the café and then referring back to the paper.

"I think I can manage that," She said with a firm nod before glancing at her watch. "Well, I need to get back to work. There are a few more minor details I'd like to be informed of…payment and renting rates but nothing imperative right now. Look over all the paperwork in the folder and you have any questions or concerns, please just give me a call, okay?"

The trio stood, Haley extending her hand to shake Tommy's.

"Thank you so much Haley."

"Well, I'm grateful you enjoyed my business enough to consider it the place to get married in. Plus, my earlier snafu somewhat sealed the deal. Karmically speaking, of course."

Tommy joined her in an awkward laugh, his earlier conversation with Katherine about karma suddenly coming back into his mind. He had a crazy idea. It was potentially disastrous, and would ultimately need Kim's guidance but he pushed it aside for later and waved the woman good bye.

"Annie? I can still expect to see you around here in September, yes?" Haley called out.

"Totally!" Annie shouted back as Haley nodded and smiled, waving the father and daughter good bye once more.

_June 29__th__, 2008  
__5:16pm  
__Tommy's House_

"What took you guys so long? Is everything okay?" Kim rushed to Tommy's side as he and Annie stumbled into the house.

"I'm exhausted," Annie said with a melodramatic sigh.

"We got the space," Tommy said wearily. He too, was exhausted. Haley's conversational skills left something to be desired. She was undoubtedly charming, but spoke far too quickly and brashly to handle for as long as Tommy and Annie had recently done.

"We got it?" Kim squealed, crushing Tommy with a hug. "We got it!"

"That Haley woman's a piece of work."

"I can't believe we got the space! I have to call Isha and tell her the good news!"

"Haley totally hit on dad," Annie said flippantly as she traipsed into the kitchen.

Tommy snickered and rolled his eyes as Kimberly planted herself on the floor once more.

"Thanks, Annie," Tommy said miffed.

"Was she cute?" Kim asked cheekily. After the reminder earlier that day at the high school, Kim was more inclined to amusement than anger. Tommy had effectively proven himself to be a non threat where other women were concerned. He was just too damn loyal.

"I don't want to talk about it," Tommy said heavily.

Kim bit her lip and gave him a playful smile, "So, _really _cute then?"

"I'll be in my room," Annie called out, already half way down the hall.

"Dinner's in an hour!" Kim called back, turning her attention to Tommy once again.

"You really want to have this discussion?" Tommy furthered.

"Why are you so mopey? We got the space, right? So the owner hit on you, big deal."

"I'm really glad we got the space, I just…man, she wore me out."

"What was so bad? What was she like? You know, besides devastatingly gorgeous."

Tommy gave Kim a stern look, "Do you _want me_ to find her attractive?"

"I want you to lighten up," Kim clarified, wandering into the kitchen to start preparing dinner.

"Well I don't like it when you joke about shit like that," Tommy pouted, following her into the room.

"Well she obviously had some sort of affect on you," Kim informed him.

"She's bossy and loud and neurotic and clearly has no social skills. But she's obviously a good business woman and smart as hell. She went to MIT, graduated first in her class, only woman, something about…oh yeah, she spoke at her graduation….valedictorian, that's it. She's from New Jersey….umm, I think she accosted me with some more information about herself….but I can't remember it all."

"I'm impressed you remembered that much," Kim playfully jabbed.

"Well, she must have reminded Annie and I like, eight times all of her accomplishments. Probably so we wouldn't get scared off or something. Boy, does she have a weird way of communicating."

"Is she single?" Kim wondered.

Tommy gave her a confused look, "Probably. I don't know, Kim. I didn't think to ask. Ya know, with me getting married and all."

Kim swatted his arm, "Would you stop already? I meant, maybe she's just lonely or something, ya know? We've gone to the Cyber Café a few times now, and I've only seen kids Annie's age or like, high school kids there. Maybe she's just starved for adult interaction."

Tommy snickered, smiling wistfully. Kim tried to gauge this reaction, to no avail.

"What?" She asked him curiously.

"I knew you'd have an answer as to why this woman was the way she was."

"What does that mean?"

"You just understand people better than I do," Tommy assured her. "It's funny you even mentioned the single thing at all cause I had a strange thought when I was talking to Haley."

"If you're gonna suggest something kinky—"

"No! God no! Why, would you want to do something like that?"

Kim shrugged and spun back around to face the stove. Tommy shook off the tangent and continued with his point.

"No, what I was gonna say was; Haley kept convoluting everything she said with all these….well, techno-terms that I didn't understand at times. And like I said, she's bossy and neurotic but really smart and other than her weird approach, seems like a really nice person."

"So?" Kim urged, still facing away while tending to her cooking pot.

"So, and this is where I knew you'd come in handy; I was thinking of introducing Haley to Billy."

Kim stopped stirring and turned around, her eyes wide, "Really?"

"Well…yeah. I think Billy is actually someone she'd really get along with."

"You don't think it's too soon? Or like, inappropriate?"

"Too soon, possibly. Inappropriate, maybe. But, we wouldn't have to make it obvious or anything. Maybe we could invite Billy to come up to Reefside to check out the Cyber Café or something."

"Like, a technical consultant for all the crazy contraptions and effects we want for the wedding!"

"We want crazy contraptions and effects?"

"Well, no. But he doesn't have to know that. That could just be our excuse," Kim explained. "I'll call him. He'll totally believe me if I call him in tears, frustrated cause I tried to do it myself."

"Oh no, why don't you tell him I tried, and you got mad cause I insisted on doing it without his help."

Kim laughed at Tommy's self effusion. Rare were the occasions he could be so self aware, but they were charming nonetheless.

"Ooh, yeah. That's much better. Nice one."

Tommy laughed and leaned in to deliver a kiss. Kim giggled through it, smacking the wandering hand that was finding its way toward her backside.

"I need to finish the sauce," she told him.

Tommy sighed and gave her another kiss on the cheek before pulling away, "I'm gonna go over the paperwork Haley gave me today. I'll make any notes on things we should discuss together."

"Okay, I'll yell for everyone when dinner's ready."

"Is Jason not here?"

"Nope, he called around three. He's in L.A. with Kat tonight."

Tommy nodded, "Remind me to make sure Kat and Jason aren't here when we invite Billy up," he said as he started for the stairs.

"They're gonna have to face each other some time!" Kim called out.

"Let's not push our luck!" Tommy returned.

Kim shook her head and returned to finishing the cooking.

_**AN: Sorry I left it at this point, but I wanted to get something for this story out there. Until next time, Kim pays a visit to her mother, wedding business and maybe even some romance! Catch ya on the flipside!**_


	42. To the Teeth

_**Pulse**_

_**AN: Our favorite couple pays a visit to Kim's mother. What happens? Find out below, Enjoy! Please read and review!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Chapter 42  
**__**To the Teeth**_

_July 7__th__, 2008  
__3:56pm  
__Santa Barbara, California_

"Tell me again? From the beginning?"

Kimberly sighed and brushed her hair out of her face. She and Tommy had just arrived in Santa Barbara to have dinner with her mother and her husband, Pierre.

"Why do you need to know it all again?" Kim asked, staring out her open window at the beach side strip they were driving down.

"I wasn't around for a lot of this, Kim. And you're mother's never been a big fan of mine. I just want her to know that I know everything there is to know about you."

Kimberly snickered, "She's not gonna quiz you, ya know. I doubt if she'll even care."

While it was true that her mother was sick, a fact that still sent remorse coursing through Kim's being; and yes they'd reconciled after a terrible falling out upon Caroline discovering her daughter's pregnancy; Kimberly and her mother had never been on the best of terms. The last three years had seen the two women in more contact than they'd been Kim's entire life.

Tommy gave her a sad smile, "It's gonna be fine, Kim."

Kim nodded slowly, staring back out the window, "I hope so. I mean, she sounds nice _on the phone_."

"Kim, she loves you. She's still your mom, ya know?"

Kim nodded again but didn't answer. Even at the height of their animosity Kimberly never wished anything bad on her mother. But consoling phone calls were different than actually seeing her in person. Caroline Hart was a diplomatic woman, but judgmental; dignified, but stubborn. The lesser qualities Kimberly had been privy to all her life.

"What's the address again?" Tommy asked as he turned a corner.

"4162 Entrada Place," Kim told him, "Just look for the post-modern mansion."

"I have no idea what any of that means, beautiful."

Kimberly laughed, "Sorry baby," she chirped, "It's a giant slab of concrete with lots of windows."

Tommy laughed as he nodded, "That's a little more helpful."

"I'm dreading to see what they've done to the place. I talked to Pierre last week before coming down and he told me they've _'made a vew addishuns'," _Kimberly balked, mimicking Pierre's accent.

"So, what's the story with Pierre? I only met him for that split second back in high school."

Kim snickered at the memory, "He still paints. Has his own studio in the house, you'll see it. The house used have like, eight bedrooms or something crazy like that. I mean, it's a big house but, no way did it need eight bedrooms. I guess they've knocked out walls and extended the kitchen and living room and garage. So Pierre has like, half the first floor to himself; his studio faces east cause it gets _'zee best light'."_

"That's pretty cool that he moved back to the states for your mom, though."

Kim shrugged, "Yeah, I mean, Pierre's a good guy. He's always been nice to me and he totally loves my mom but, I don't know he's kind of a tool."

Tommy burst into hysterical laughter at Kim's words, "I love you even more for using that word."

Kim swatted his arm, "You'll meet him for real this time. You'll see what I mean."

"Is the wine I picked out okay? I mean, Pierre's French and all, he's not gonna like, spit it out at me, is he?"

Kimberly giggled, "You got a red, right?" Kim asked, reaching into the back seat to retrieve the housewarming gift.

"Cabernet," Tommy affirmed.

"Oh yeah, this is fine," Kim said with an impressed nod, examining the bottle.

"I spent—"

"No, no! Don't tell me. It's perfect, Tommy. That was really thoughtful of you."

Tommy smirked, "Hey, my mama didn't raise no fool."

Kimberly turned in her seat to face him, running a hand through his hair as he continued driving down the road. "Speaking of your mama, when do I get to see Patty and James again?"

Tommy smiled at Kim's familiar use of his own parent's names, "They are coming down for my birthday. You'll get to see them soon enough. And they've never met Annie. It should be pretty exciting."

"Oh my gosh!" Kimberly squealed, "That's right. They haven't even met Annie yet. I never even thought to ask about that. What did your mom say when you told her? What'd your _dad_ say? Do they hate me? Does David know? I still can't believe you have a brother. I can't wait to meet him!"

"Kim, calm down," Tommy eased, "My mom was pretty emotional, as you can imagine. And my dad told me to get my head out of my ass and ask you to marry me already."

Kim grinned ear to ear, "He did?"

Tommy chuckled, "Yep."

"And like a dutiful son, you did."

"Indeed."

Kimberly bit her lip and leaned over to kiss Tommy's cheek before slumping back into her seat. "So they don't hate me?"

"Hate you?" Tommy stole a glance at her, "Are you kidding? Kim they love you. They've always loved you. They were a little shocked at how the whole thing went down but, they both understood your side immediately. That's partly what helped me reconcile with you so quickly."

Kim's face turned to confusion, "When exactly did you tell them about all of this?"

"The day after that night at the hotel."

"That long ago?"

Tommy nodded, "I've always been pretty upfront with my folks about everything. And I needed their advice."

"Wow."

"My dad bought me condoms when I told him you had come back over that Christmas break."

Kimberly's eyes flashed in horror, "You mean your dad knew we'd had sex back then?"

"Well, he certainly did after I'd told them I had a kid."

Kimberly snickered, "I mean, he knew like, ten years ago?"

Tommy laughed, "I hadn't seen you in like, eight months! My dad knew how serious we were and ya know…he's still a guy…he knew…"

"Please tell me you didn't talk to your father about having sex with me?"

Tommy gave her a smirk, "The details? No, of course not. But I may have mentioned an interest in things of that nature before we actually did it. And we certainly had a talk about that."

Kimberly shook her head in disbelief, "I can't believe you talked to your dad about wanting to have sex with me."

Tommy just continued laughing, "I learned from an early age it was nearly impossible to fool my parents. So I figured I'd turn the tables and be as upfront and honest with them as I could be. It worked in my favor. My dad bought me condoms and my mom washed my underwear before the big night."

Kimberly grimaced, "You're a weirdo. But I'm totally jealous that you have that kind of relationship with your parents."

With his left hand still bracing the wheel, Tommy reached his right hand across the seat to massage Kim's shoulder, "They'll be your family soon enough. Not that we'd need to get married for them to accept you."

Kimberly bit her lip and leaned into his hand, which now gently stroked the side of her face. "Your underwear _was _really clean. I noticed that. Your boxers felt soft."

Tommy laughed as Kimberly kissed the inside of his hand, "_Your_ underwear was really sexy. I'll never forget that. Were you planning for something that night?"

Kimberly pushed his hand away and gave him a wry smile, "I may not have had the help of my parents but I certainly had girlfriends to help me along."

Tommy shook his head, "Jason was the only one I talk to before it happened."

"Well, I wish I could be as noble as you but I'm a girl and I totally dished with Trini and Aisha about the whole thing. How I wanted it to go, what I had planned, where I wanted it to happen…everything."

"Nothing went as planned that night did it?" Tommy asked, keeping a slight smile on his face.

Kimberly, though catching a different implication from Tommy's question, decided to keep the conversation light hearted. "I guess your dad bought those condoms for nothing, huh?"

Tommy noticed Kim's attempt to maintain humor and played along, "I had a couple in my wallet, but it wouldn't have mattered. I know in hindsight it was probably the most irresponsible thing I've ever done but—"

"It all worked out for the best," Kim finished.

Tommy nodded, "Yeah, it did."

"And I certainly could have been more demanding and made you wear one," she added.

"But you just couldn't keep your hands off me," he said with a wink.

"Me?" She feigned insult, "You were the one who could barely contain himself!"

Tommy laughed, "That's true. I'd wanted to have sex with you for so long that the fact it was actually happening kind of blurred everything else."

Kimberly's cheeks blushed furiously, "Did you really?"

Tommy merely nodded as Kimberly prodded him for more ego-boosting information.

"You were really hot for me, weren't ya, handsome?" Again, he nodded as Kim agreed. "Yeah, so was I. I don't think any sort of planning would have helped us much."

"We were pretty ruthless that night."

"Don't I know it!" Kim squealed, "I mean, you were nothing but a gentleman but still…I think despite the awkward positioning at first, it was a totally killer first time."

"And second, and third," Tommy added with another wink.

Kim rolled her eyes, "Like you said; we hadn't seen each other in eight months."

"Oh right, of course. Our frenzied ripping of clothing and groping each other was just because we were lonely and horny."

"Oh yeah," Kim played along, "Oh wait, you didn't think it was like, _love_ or something did you?"

Tommy shot Kim a dirty look, "No, of course not. You were just a really hot girl that I'd fantasized about for three years. I got my rocks off, that's all."

"Same for me. You were just this insanely hot guy with a killer bod that I wanted to bone."

"Good, glad we've sorted that out."

"Me too. None of this _love _shit."

"Heaven forbid."

"There's the house."

Tommy steered the wheel to pivot the car up the drive, minding the gorgeous Porsche Boxter that was parked beside his seemingly rustic jeep wrangler.

"Holy shit that's a nice car," he said dumbfounded.

"Looks like Caroline has a new toy," Kim muttered as she stepped out of the car.

"Oh my God," Tommy gasped again, this time craning his neck back to take in the height of the house before him.

It was as Kimberly had described; a three-story concrete mansion with metal railings along an upstairs balcony, an industrial carport off to the side that housed a more modest hatchback vehicle, and behind that; an art deco pool house.

"I told ya," Kim sighed as she gripped the neck of the wine bottle tightly.

"You sure did," he said absently, staring in amazement at everything the front had to offer.

"Wait 'til we get inside," Kim warned.

"So, you got to live _here_ part time with your mom after the divorce?"

Kim nodded feebly, "Yep, until I was seventeen."

Tommy shook his head as Kim led them up the front steps. He smiled in admiration as he considered the porch they were approaching and all the plants and flowers decorating the deck.

"Whose influence is this?" He asked, pointing up toward the row of dangling potted Bougainvillea.

Kim rolled her eyes, "I may have encouraged my mother to spruce up her flora quota."

Tommy laughed, "I can't believe you haven't started a garden at our place yet."

Kim smirked, "_Yet_."

As they approached the front door, Kim made to ring the bell as Tommy stared back into the driveway, ogling the superior automobile once more.

"You said that was your mom's?" He asked as he continued to inspect it.

"Yep," Kim said bored, still facing the door. She'd seen fancy cars in this driveway before. Caroline Hart's Achilles heel; expensive road machines she traded in for bigger, better models more often than she actually drove them.

"She used to have a Jaguar when I was younger," Kim dared to mention.

Tommy turned back to Kim, "Really?"

Kim nodded and rang the bell again, "Teal with butterscotch leather interior," she cringed.

"How was that to drive in?"

Kim shrugged, "The air conditioner didn't work, and she had an eight track player in the dash, if that gives you any idea of how old that car really was."

"Oh yeah," Kim added quickly as footsteps approached the door, "Pierre will only speak in French until dinner. And even then, his English is comme ci, comme ça."

"I'm lost already," Tommy laughed as the front door finally swung open, revealing a tall and gaunt French man.

"Oh ma bonté!" Pierre practically squealed before turning back inside the house and calling out, "Caroline! C'est Kimberly est son petit ami!"

"Salut!" Caroline's voice sounded in the distance.

"Salut, Pierre," Kim began, " Et c'est _la fiancée_, pas le petit ami!" Kim reminded him politely.

Pierre cringed playfully and smacked his forehead, "Oh! C'est cą! Je suis désolé!"

"C'est pas mal," She told him with a smile before receiving twin pecks on either cheek.

Tommy remained silent and still, unaware of what Pierre and Kimberly had just exchanged.

"Pierre, c'est la fiancé, Tommy Oliver," Kim began again, gripping Tommy's arm with one hand and motioning to Pierre, "And Tommy, this is Pierre."

In English, Tommy understood his next move. He nodded and extended his hand toward Pierre, only to have the older man pull him closer and administer the same mirrored kisses to his face as he'd done to Kimberly.

Tommy stumbled at first, taken aback by Pierre's greeting. Kimberly giggled as Tommy blushed furiously once he regained his footing.

"Nice to meet you…again, kind of…Pierre," Tommy stuttered.

Kim clutched Tommy's hand with her free one as Pierre nodded, trying to translate Tommy's comment.

"Oh! C'est cą! Collège! Vous eitiez ensemble, d'accord, d'accord."

"He remembers now that we dated in high school," Kim whispered to Tommy, sensing his frustration at not understanding what was being said.

"Got it, thanks," he whispered back as Pierre led them further into the house.

"Caroline! C'est Kimberly! Caroline?" Pierre called out.

"Salut mère!" Kimberly joined in, smiling back at Tommy who just shrugged.

"Bonjour!" Tommy added weakly. Pierre turned and laughed as Kimberly bit her lip and squeezed Tommy's hand.

"Il est joli," Pierre said with a wink.

"Je sais," Kim breathed as she faced Tommy and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Un moment," Pierre said, holding up one finger to indicate as much. "Faites-vous à la maison, Kim, que vous connaissez où tout est."

Kim nodded and ushered Tommy toward the kitchen, "Make ourselves at home," she translated as Tommy nodded.

"Is everything okay?" He whispered once they crossed the threshold to the kitchen.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure everything's fine," Kim assured him. "Mom's just probably not done putting on her make up or something."

Tommy snickered, "Sounds like somebody else I know."

Kim shot him a bemused look as she set the wine down on the counter and began maneuvering through the kitchen cabinets like an old pro.

"Do you want anything to snack on or drink before dinner?"

Tommy shrugged, "I'll take a soda or something if they've got it."

Kim shook her head as she opened the fridge, "No soda in this house. One thing my mom and I have always agreed on."

Tommy rolled his eyes, "Water's fine then. Where are the cups?"

"No, no, no," Kimberly stopped him. "My mom only drinks filtered water or Perrier. I'll get it for you."

Tommy snickered but nodded and took a seat at the kitchen table, "This is a really nice kitchen," he mused, looking around. He noticed the height of the walls before realizing the kitchen itself was technically two floors. "The kitchen goes up another floor?"

Kim nodded absently as she poured two glasses of Perrier for her and Tommy, "This is obviously not one of the rooms to get the recent overhaul. As you can see, I still know my way around it. It's looked like this since we first moved here."

Tommy nodded and motioned to the living room, "I really liked those yin-yang side tables in there," he said as Kim handed him his glass.

"Mom had them custom made after she and Pierre went to Hong Kong a few years ago."

"They're awesome."

"Yeah, you'll see this more in the bedrooms but, my mom's had this whole _Qi_ and_ I-Ching_ epiphany so like, none of the beds face toward the door. Evidently, it's supposed to drain the sleeper of all their energy if the bed faces the exit so….I don't know."

Tommy laughed as he mused on the idea, "Interesting…"

"C'est surnaturel," Kim muttered as she took a sip of her own sparkling water.

Tommy snickered as Pierre returned to the kitchen, "Désolé, Caroline se prepare toujours."

"C'est pas mal," Kim nodded. "Puis-je donner un tour à Tommy ?"

Pierre nodded with a smile as Tommy looked between the two, hearing his name but failing to understand what they'd just agreed on.

"I'm gonna give you a tour, come on," Kim supplied, reaching for his glass.

Pierre took the glasses from Kim and stopped her before she reached the doorway.

"Est cela pur nous?" Pierre asked, holding up the wine bottle.

Tommy nodded, assuming he asked if the wine was for him.

"Oui," Kim said, confirming Tommy's nod.

"Merci," Pierre said with a smile, "Ici, prenz un verre pour le tour."

"Oh," Kim fumbled as she turned to Tommy, "He's gonna pour us a glass of the wine you bought while we tour."

"Oh. Okay," Tommy nodded, "Thank you!" He said loudly.

Kim nudged him, "Merci," she whispered.

"Mercy" Tommy tried.

His attempt was good enough for Pierre, who knew enough English to get around but did not seem to bother speaking it in his own house. The man nodded and popped the cork, pouring two goblets for Tommy and Kim.

"Voila!" Pierre handed the glasses off as the young couple nodded in appreciation before turning to leave.

"Kimberly," Pierre began, "Donnez son une moitié d'heure."

"Bien," Kim said with a nod. "Let's start outside," Kim told Tommy as they headed for a side door off of the living room.

"Pierre said to give her a half hour," Kim sighed, taking a large gulp of her wine.

Tommy pried the glass away from her for the moment, "Little sips, Kim. It's okay."

Kim shook her head as they headed down the back path toward the pool house, "She said 4:30 right? Be here by 4:30, dinner at five."

Tommy handed the glass back to her and draped his arm around her waist as they continued to walk.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "But she's…she's sick, ya know? Give her a break."

Kim shrugged, "Yeah, you're right," she muttered.

"So, where are you taking me?" He asked, trying to change the subject.

"The pool house," Kim said mindlessly, "You'll like the architecture."

Tommy laughed as he took a sip of his own wine, "Now, was this here when you lived here?"

"The pool was," Kim explained. "It was just another California outdoor pool before my mom got a hold of it."

"I don't think I realized how much your mom must have done by herself" Tommy said.

"Well, she didn't actually build the pool house by herself but, yeah, all the early renovations she contracted on her own. I mean, this was her new house and before Pierre so…it wasn't like my dad was gonna help her move into her new mansion while he stayed in our little shack in Angel Grove."

"No, I guess not," Tommy said with a sad smile.

"Ta da!" Kim said with a flourish after entering the security code and popping open the door.

"Wow," Tommy said in awe.

"This is the kitchenette," Kim started, gesturing around the room they were standing in. "Over there is the game room," she continued, pointing off to their right, "And through those doors is the pool area."

"Can we check it out?"

"Of course," Kim said with a wink.

She led them inside, turning on the pool lights and unveiling the pool cover so Tommy could fully grasp the spectacle. He walked the perimeter of the room, shaking his head in admiration as he examined the detailing.

"There's the workout room at the end and the sauna back over there," Kim said, pointing in every other direction. "And the changing rooms are in the back."

"Changing rooms?" Tommy questioned.

"You heard me," Kim snickered as she grabbed his hand and led him toward the mini gym area.

"My mom had this built initially for my gymnastics training. Ya know, so I wouldn't have an excuse to rush back to Angel Grove," Kim said somewhat bitterly.

"Kim," Tommy admonished.

She shrugged, "I don't know if she even uses any of this stuff anymore," she told him, motioning to the exercise equipment.

"I thought about building a pool," Tommy said absently as turned back to take in the entirety of the space.

Kim had moved further into the gym, running a ghost trail along the length of the battered balance beam she used to practice on.

"I hate this house," she muttered.

"Jason would probably kill me if I asked him about building one, though," Tommy said with a laugh.

They were having two completely different conversations. Kimberly broke out of her trance and abruptly grabbed his hand.

"Let's go back inside, I'll show you my old room," she said with unnecessary vigor.

Tommy stumbled as Kim's tiny hand pulled him out the door, "How come you never took me out here back in high school?"

Kimberly spared a quick glance back at him, "The drive was too long," she said with a forced smile.

Tommy chuckled as they made their way back inside, passing the back porch.

"Is this new?" He asked, tapping the railing of the deck.

Kimberly shook her head, "Nope. Who knows what Pierre was on about. So far I haven't seen a single thing that's different."

Tommy shrugged as they passed through the kitchen once more. He noted the far wall of the open living room was head to toe glass; a small doorway under another set of stairs leading somewhere.

"Where does that door lead to?" He asked.

"Pierre's studio," Kim answered, "And the door's shut right now, he's probably in there. I'll show you after dinner."

Tommy nodded dutifully as they made their way up the stairs onto the second floor.

"Here it is," she announced, turning the knob to reveal an impressive square; littered with old posters and dusty pink walls, a patchwork quilt bedspread that hung low to the ground over the white waterbed, and two wicker doors that obviously became a closet.

"Wow," Tommy sighed, "This must have been a nice pad for a teenager."

Kimberly cringed, "It was certainly bigger than my room in Angel Grove," she said.

Tommy shook his head as he ran a hand along the bedspread, "Is this how you remember it?"

Kim shrugged, "For the most part," she said, looking around to consider any noticeable changes. "Oh, that's new," she added, pointing toward the wicker doors Tommy had previously noticed.

"Is it a closet?" Tommy guessed.

"I'd assume so," Kim said, wandering over and opening the doors. "Yep."

"Jesus, are these all of your old clothes?" Tommy wondered, tugging the sleeve of one garment.

Kim shook her head, "No, my mom donated most of my old stuff before she left for France. These look like hers."

Tommy nodded as Kimberly snuck away and ventured over to her old dresser. She smiled as she ran a finger along the dusty boom box that sat on top.

"I wonder," she muttered, clicking the release button atop the c.d. player's hatch. Her eyes lit up as she squealed with glee.

"What?" Tommy asked startled, moving over toward her.

"My Van Halen c.d!" she said with a smile.

"Kimmie?"

Tommy and Kim both turned to see Caroline Hart standing in the doorway.

"Mom!" Kim sighed heavily, running to greet her mom. Tommy smiled wistfully as he watched mother and daughter embrace.

If someone was uninformed, they would never suspect Caroline Hart to be a terminal cancer patient in remission. The fifty-something old woman looked amazing. Her hair, though thinner from her various treatments, was still a vibrant auburn. Her face still tan, though slightly more gaunt. Her dated suit jacket worn over a sundress brought Tommy back to the first time he'd met her. That same pink scarf tossed effortlessly about her shoulders.

"My goodness, Tommy!" Caroline said after releasing Kim, "Is that really you?"

"Nice to see you again, Mrs. Dumas," Tommy bowed slightly, approaching her with an open hand.

She clasped his proffered limb with both of her own and squeezed lightly. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Come, why don't I show you the house?"

"Oh, Kim's already given me a tour—"

"My baby doesn't know where all the good stuff is anymore!" Caroline cooed, beckoning him with a wave of her hand as she led them out of the room.

Tommy looked back at Kim who merely shrugged and followed the two out the door.

_July 7__th__, 2008  
__Pierre and Caroline Dumas' House  
__Santa Barbara, Ca  
__5:50pm_

Pierre hadn't been complete off his rocker; some changes had been made to the house. The downstairs bathroom had been completely re-gutted and extended into an ICU of sorts. Caroline had explained the realistic prospect of eventually hiring a hospice worker indefinitely, much to Kimberly's dismay. The young woman had assured her mother that if the situation ever came to that, that she would care for her instead. Caroline dismissed Kim's suggestion, claiming it would be 'futile' and 'ridiculous.'

"You don't have any experience, is all," Caroline clarified. "Don't take it so personally."

Kimberly's exhaled slowly as Tommy's hand covertly squeezed her own under the table.

"I'm not trying to be a brat, mom," Kimberly explained.

"Did I say that?" Caroline challenged sweetly before turning to Pierre, "plus de vin, mon amour?"

"Oui, oui," Pierre nodded as he reached for the bottle.

"So, Tommy," Caroline began again, "What do you do now? Kimmie's always rather frugal about discussing you."

"I talked to you about applying to the high school a few months ago," Kimberly insisted.

"Oh?" Caroline considered, "Must have slipped my mind. There's a lot going on," she implied, casting a knowing glance to Kim.

Kimberly returned her mother's stare with an apologetic smile and nodded.

"So, you teach high school too, then?" Caroline asked Tommy.

"Yes, ma'am," Tommy nodded politely.

"What do you tish?" Pierre asked as he handed off a dish to Kimberly, his accent constantly altering certain words.

Tommy fumbled for a second, trying to guess what Pierre had asked him, "Umm…I'm a science teacher. Social science…well…I got my degree in Paleontology."

"Really?" Caroline cooed.

"What is dis…paley…entelligy?" Pierre sounded out.

"It's the study of prehistoric life," Tommy began. "But my classes—"

"We do nut ave dis…uh…paley….in France," Pierre explained, "You would be a…a collectionneur d'os, no? A…bon collector?"

Tommy instinctively leaned in, as if a closer proximity to the older man would help him understand better. He looked to Kimberly as she translated.

"That would be Archeology," Kim said to Pierre.

"Arkeyhollowgy?" Pierre repeated with glee, "Like a….E and Deeyanna Shownes?"

Kimberly bit her lip, suppressing a giggle as Pierre's rough discovery reached Tommy.

"Uh…yes?" Tommy guessed.

"Je suis désolé, I ham…nut good wit Anglais à ce jour," Pierre said with a laugh.

"But Tommy does teach about dinosaurs," Kim continued.

"So, tell us about this wedding," Caroline cut in, glancing back and forth at the younger couple.

Kim snapped her mouth shut and gave a tight smile, looking to Tommy to lead the conversation.

"Uh…well," he began.

"How long have you two been back together again?" Caroline asked, refilling her wine once again.

"Umm," Tommy glanced over at Kim before smiling back at the older woman, "Since…well, I guess since umm…"

"Because as I recall, you didn't even know about Kimmie's pregnancy until recently, is that right?"

Kimberly exhaled slowly, her eyes twitching ever so slightly at the woman's tone. Tommy gave Caroline a bashful smile and nodded, "Yes, that's right. I uh….Kimberly and I reconnected around September of last year."

"Well, how did that go?" Caroline asked sarcastically, as if disastrous could be the only possible answer.

Kimberly stuffed a forkful of food into her mouth and proceeded to chew aggressively as Tommy struggled to stay afloat. Caroline's manner becoming increasingly less tactful with each glass of wine.

"It was certainly an emotional reunion," Tommy attempted.

"Have you stayed in California this whole time?" Caroline wondered.

Tommy tilted his head in wonder; unsure the relevance of the question, "Yes…"

"Mom," Kim warned, swallowing a large gulp from her own glass, "Tommy and I have—"

"I'm just trying to get the facts straight, Kimmie," Caroline answered.

"Please don't call me Kimmie," Kim muttered, "You know I hate that."

Caroline looked shocked, "No you don't! I've always called you Kimmie."

"And I've always hated it," Kim hissed.

Pierre and Tommy looked at one another nervously, sensing the threat of something larger about to siren.

"Caroline," Pierre squeaked.

"I don't where your attitude is coming from, dear. You've been hostile all evening."

"No I haven't mother," Kim bit back, "But you're attacking Tommy with—"

"No, no, she's not attacking me," Tommy hushed Kim, "You're not attacking anyone," he assured Caroline.

"Yes she is," Kim insisted under her breath, ripping Tommy's hand away from her arm.

Caroline's eyes widened in offense, "I don't know why you're still angry with me, Kimberly."

Kimberly snapped her head back to face her mother, "This has nothing to do with that."

"Because I already apologized," Caroline continued, "And I think, given the circumstances, it is unfair and rather tacky for you to even bring it up!"

Kimberly gaped at the woman incredulously, "What did I bring up? I didn't say anything! You're the one who brought it up, I just told you it has nothing to do with that!"

"Well you're obviously angry about _something!_"

Kimberly snickered and gave Tommy a pleading look, "Unbelievable!" she muttered.

"I know we haven't had the best relation—"

"No, we haven't," Kimberly cut in.

"But I am still your mother and I deserve to know why you're so angry all the time!"

"I'm not angry!" Kim practically screamed.

The two silent men sat frozen, frightened to move by their warring counterparts.

"Mom, this is not what this dinner was for, okay?"

"Well I refuse to sit here and pretend everything's fine and make small talk about your ridiculous love affair with _him_," Caroline gestured carelessly to Tommy as Pierre gave her a scolding look, "After twelve years of nothing? You act like Florida never even happened! That our relationship didn't suffer because of his and your carelessness! You're just like your father!"

Tommy had had enough. He made a move to stand before Pierre stopped him. Tommy gave the man an icy glare before Pierre nodded simply and pulled him away from the table.

"Come with me, Toomass," Pierre directed, "Dis iz a lung time coming."

Tommy didn't need a translator this time. He reluctantly nodded and allowed the man to usher them outside as the war of words continued in the dining room.

"Don't you dare blame me or Tommy for your bad parenting!" Kim thrashed.

"That's right, throw your Ace card, Kimberly."

"How is it _my_ fault that _you_ stopped talking to me? How is it _my_ fault that _you chose_ to abandon me when I got pregnant?"

"You got pregnant and didn't tell me! You lied to me!"

Kimberly was on overload, the same phrase; justifiably used by Tommy was now being uttered by her mother, who had no right.

"I was scared, mom!"

"So was I! Do you think I wanted to just let you go out into this world and raise that baby by yourself?"

Kimberly could have hit something; she could have flipped the entire table over right now if she wanted to. "But you did! That's exactly what you did!"

"You're my daughter! I have always wanted the best for you!"

"You have never wanted the best for me, mother! You have always wanted the best for you!"

"I am sick, God Damn it! How dare you lay a guilt trip on me right now!"

"Oh that is so unfair, mother."

"I could die tomorrow, Kimberly! How would you feel then? That your last day with me was spent blaming me for something that happened a long time ago!"

"Don't say that! Why would you say that?"

"You always got along better with your father."

"Mom…"

"I'm sorry that he died instead of me!"

Kimberly's eyes were on fire; between rage and tears, she did not know how to process her emotions at the moment. "Mom…"

"Well, don't worry. You'll get your wish soon enough!"

"Stop it!" Kimberly screamed, "That is unfair and untrue and you know it!"

"I am so sorry that I wasn't the kind of mother you expected me to be," Caroline said shakily, now on the verge of tears as well. "I don't why I was so surprised. I mean, it's obvious why you didn't want to tell me about your pregnancy."

Kim opened her mouth to counter but words failed her. She could be talking in circles all night if she answered. Caroline decided to press on.

"Raising you on my own wasn't easy on me, either, you know. It was hard on me too, damn it! Do you think your father thought about that when he was cheating on me? Did _you_? Did you ever stop once and think what I must be going through? Yes, I admit it. I was selfish back then. I was angry and alone and selfish and I took things out on you because I didn't have anybody else. Then you left for Florida and I had nobody!"

"How is it my fault that dad cheated on you?"

"I didn't say it was your fault, damn it!" Caroline quivered as her palm slammed onto the table, "I'm not talking about you right now!"

"Of course you're not," Kimberly scoffed.

"I wasn't a good mother to you. Is that what you want to hear?"

"Of course not!"

"Well then you better figure out what you need to make you happy, young lady. Because I am out of time. I don't have the energy to fight like this anymore. I don't what you're waiting to hear me say…"

"Sorry!" Kimberly exclaimed, "I want you to say you're sorry!"

"I can not be held responsible for my mistakes forever, Kimberly!"

"Then stop making them!"

Tommy jumped from his chair in the kitchen; the sound was unmistakable. Kimberly gasped in horror as she held the side of her cheek; red and stinging where her mother had just slapped her.

The young man rushed into the room just in time to see a frantic Kimberly rush up the stairs and slam her old bedroom door. Pierre entered a few seconds after, both men staring at Caroline with confounded looks.

Caroline inhaled sharply to cease her tears from falling before abruptly spinning around and leaving the room.

Pierre silently nodded for Tommy to tend to Kimberly while he would speak to his wife.

Tommy rushed up the stairs, two at a time before pressing his ear to the door. He could faintly hear music beneath Kimberly's sobs as he reached for the knob.

She had started her old boom box upon entering her room and cranked the volume, letting the sound drown her out.

The slight wisp of an electric keyboard came in; like a musical shooting star. And again, until the chord echoed; aided now by drums and the slightest but unmistakable twang of guitar. The raspy, desperate vocals began as Kimberly's quaking body lay curled up tightly in her childhood bed.

_World turns black and white  
Pictures in an empty room  
Your love starts fallin__' down  
Better change your tune  
Reach for the golden ring  
Reach for the sky  
Baby just spread your wings_

We'll get higher and higher straight up we'll climb  
We'll get higher and higher leave it all behind

So baby dry your eyes, save all the tears you've cried  
Oh that's what dreams are made of  
Cause we belong in a world that must be strong  
Oh that's what dreams are made of

Higher and higher who knows what well find  
And in the end on dreams we will depend  
Cause that's what love is made of...

**_AN: Please review._**


	43. Little Plastic Castle

_**Pulse**_

_**AN: Well, hello stranger…Words cannot describe how sorry I am for abandoning this story. Life just took over and there was never a chance to catch up…until now! I'm very excited to return. Lots of wedding business and tying up loose ends. If you need a refresh or a reread, I wouldn't blame ya. With that, I give you the next chapter. Enjoy! Please read and review!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Chapter 43 **_

_**Little Plastic Castle**_

_August 28__th__, 2008_

_9:26am_

_Tommy and Kim's House_

_Reefside, California_

Tommy was besieged with calendars. Dates, to be specific. Since becoming a teacher he'd gotten better at organization and amending his forgetfulness. Okay, the latter was still up for debate. But now with the wedding and school starting again he was steadfastly trying to keep it all under control.

He sat at the kitchen table, coffee at the ready. His syllabus for his fall classes carelessly littered among various to-do lists, wedding receipts, his day planner, and the big desk calendar he'd taken from his office.

Jason padded into the kitchen and growled out a yawn.

Tommy didn't bother looking up, too engrossed in his work. "Good morning," he greeted his sleepy friend.

Jason mumbled a hello. Tommy silently shuffled his copious papers atop the table while the other man poured himself a mug of coffee.

"How soon would the band need to be here?" Tommy wondered aloud.

Jason yawned again and sank into the chair across the table.

"The wedding band?" Jason clarified.

Tommy nodded, making a notation in his planner.

"Everyone who's playing is also a guest," Tommy explained, "But we probably only need them for the rehearsal dinner, right?"

Jason shrugged and took sip of his coffee. "Guess it depends on how early they can get here."

"Adam's out now that he's a groomsman," Tommy said, "but Tanya's still singing and they'll be coming in together of course, so…"

Jason nodded absently. He fiddled with some of the papers on the table.

"Kat will be back up around—" he started, reaching for the big calendar.

Jason stopped suddenly, regarding the month he'd flipped to. Tommy looked up at his friend in anticipation.

"What?" Tommy asked.

Jason tossed the calendar back onto the table and reclined in his chair. "Do you realize we forgot your birthday last year?"

Tommy chuckled. The act of turning thirty-one was hardly an event worth celebrating. And to be fair, he hadn't actually _forgotten_ it…

"It's ok, bro," Tommy assured him, "Last September was kind of…_hectic_."

They shared a conspiratorial laugh. Last year by the time Tommy's birthday had rolled around on September 20th, he'd already found out he'd had a daughter, awkwardly reunited with his estranged ex-girlfriend; hired a lawyer to file custody rights, gone through custody hearings with his estranged ex-girlfriend to claim his rights to said daughter, and started counseling sessions to reconcile with the aforementioned estranged ex-girlfriend.

Jason's voice snapped Tommy out of his thoughts, "You and Kim got anything special planned?

Tommy snickered, "Yeah…_a wedding_."

Jason pushed some random papers out of his way and took another large sip of his coffee.

"So what, you just gonna use the wedding as a birthday party?"

"I don't need a birthday party Jase. We're swamped with wedding stuff as it is."

Jason chuckled and got up to refill his mug, "Kim's gonna kick herself for forgetting."

Tommy shook his head, collecting the random papers and stacking them in a pile.

"No she won't. She was hardly in a place to wish me happy birthday back then."

"Back then?" Jason teased, "You mean, _a year ago_?"

Tommy's face turned serious. "Do you think we went too fast?" Tommy asked.

Jason shrugged, "If you don't count the ten some years in between, sure."

Tommy considered his friend's response. He supposed Jason was right. But then, Jason was always inclined to seeing him and Kim as together. It was perhaps why he had been so adamant in orchestrating their reunion.

Again, Jason's voice cut through Tommy's contemplation. Returning to his seat with his cup refilled Jason said, "Kim's definitely going to want to do something this time."

Tommy sighed, "I don't need a party Jase, I already said that."

Jason rolled his eyes at the man's humble protestations, "Then let us take you out for dinner at least. I'll buy you one lousy fucking beer and we'll call it a night."

Tommy laughed, "Fine. Fine."

"What are you two giggling about?" Kim wondered upon entering.

She crossed to Tommy and greeted him with a quick kiss before helping herself to the coffee.

Tommy sent Jason a glare. "Nothing special," he said, "Annie still asleep?"

Kim grabbed a mug, nodding in response, "Oh yeah," she laughed, "She says she's going to stay in her room until she magically wakes up thirteen."

"Six more days," Tommy mused with a laugh. He went back to his work as Kim filled up her cup.

"Try three," Kim corrected with a snicker, "She has to magically wake up for _school_ first."

Jason paused thoughtfully for a moment. Then, grinning slyly he said, "We were thinking a big night out soon little sis," he said, "Wanna join us?"

Kim turned to face the men, leaning against the counter, "When is it?" she asked, taking a sip from her own mug.

"September 20th," Jason supplied cheekily.

Tommy's head shot up, sending the man a scowl. "Jase!" He scolded.

There was a beat of silence before the realization hit Kimberly.

Kimberly slammed her mug down on the counter behind her. "Oh my God Tommy, your birthday!" She gasped.

She rushed over to her fiancée with open arms. He graciously accepted her prone body as she sank into his lap. Kim held his face in her hands and peppered it with tiny kisses. "I'm so sorry!" She said between kisses, "We totally skipped it last year!"

He stilled her frantic hands, placating her worry with a loving gaze. "Hey, it's okay," he said softly, "More important things were happening."

Kim gave him a miserable face. She felt rotten. Tommy chuckled at her pitiful look and placed a tender kiss on her pouty lips.

She mumbled another apology as Tommy shook his head and quietly dismissed her need for repentance. Jason bowed his head and scratched his chin, smirking at the couple's gushy display. Finally Kim settled back in Tommy's lap. He wrapped his arm around her waist as she turned to face Jason.

"We need to do something for it," she told him adamantly. Tommy sighed as Jason nodded.

"I told him we would," Jason said with a shrug, "But fearless leader here said he didn't want anything."

Tommy shot the man a teasing scowl, "I agreed to dinner and a _lousy fucking beer,_" he reminded his friend.

Jason laughed. Kim turned to Tommy, "Are you sure you don't want a party or something more special?"

"Well," Tommy whispered huskily, "Maybe you and I could—"

Jason cut in with a wave of his hand, "Hey, enough already," he scolded playfully, "Do that on your own time."

Kim threw a notebook at him. Tommy chuckled at Jason's clumsy attempt to block the assault. Kim rose from Tommy's lap and returned to the counter to retrieve her lukewarm coffee.

"Seriously though," Tommy assured them, "A simple dinner out sounds great. Let's save the party for Annie."

"Oh she already has plans," Kim informed him. She tested her beverage before grimacing and pouring it down the drain.

Tommy balked, "Since when? What are we doing for her birthday then?"

Kim fished out the old coffee filter and set to work on starting a fresh batch.

"I'm afraid we've been relegated to glorified observers my love."

"Glorified _chauffeurs,_ you mean," Tommy scoffed, "No party huh?"

"Not any that we could throw her, no," Kim sighed, "She's going out with friends for dinner and a movie."

Jason shot him a smirk, "Sounds like her father."

Tommy glowered back at him, "You want another notebook to the head?"

"I think there's a slumber party too at some point," Kim added absently, still recalling her daughter's birthday plans.

Jason bent over in his chair to retrieve the fallen notebook off the floor. Tossing it back on the table, he clapped his hands soundly and effectively switched gears.

"Great. That's settled then," he announced, rising to help Kim with the coffee.

"Any particular place you had in mind for dinner?" Kim asked, handing off the coffee pot to Jason.

"There's that new Mexican restaurant," Jason offered, filling the glass carafe with water.

Tommy nodded, "I do love Mexican," he considered.

Kim heaped a few spoonfuls of coffee grounds into the new filter. Jason handed back the carafe. He turned to lean against the counter.

"Hey, maybe Kimbo knows about the wedding band," Jason suggested suddenly.

"What do I know?" She asked absently, setting the coffee pot on its stoop and flicking the switch.

"Oh yeah!" Tommy reopened his planner and scanned his notes, "Honey, how early do we need the band to be here?"

Kim came over to consult his notes. Tommy mindlessly rubbed her lower back as she leaned into his side.

"No earlier than the week before, I'd imagine," she supposed, snatching the paper from the table to peruse it.

"I was saying before the whole birthday thing," Jason piped up, "Kat will be in town indefinitely around the 12th of September."

Kim looked up at Jason as Tommy made a mark on the calendar to note Kat's arrival.

"Indefinitely?" Kim inquired.

They shared a look as the coffeemaker gurgled its completion.

He spun to shut off the machine and set about refilling two mugs. He silently motioned to Tommy's old cup as Kim took it and traded him for a new one. Jason then handed her another one. She kept it for herself.

Oblivious to the silent conversation his friend and fiancé were having, Tommy reached for his mug and took a sip, still scouring his paperwork. He winced slightly as the hot liquid burned his mouth, seemingly unaware that his old coffee had even been replaced.

Kim had long since reconciled with both Jason and Kat over their indiscretions. But on occasion, the reminder that things were getting quite serious between him and the blonde Aussie still rattled her. Kim decided to give him an out this time, instead of harping on any lingering sense of impropriety.

"Good," she stated, "She can come with me and Aisha to my next dress fitting."

"Aisha's coming in on the 8th, right?" Tommy confirmed, still absorbed.

"And she can join us for Tommy's dinner," Jason added, still regarding Katherine.

"Good. That'll be fun," Tommy nodded, mishearing Jason's comment.

Kim rolled her eyes at both men: Tommy for his ignorance and Jason for his moxie.

_September 15__th__, 2008_

_4:00pm_

_Chloe's Bridal Shop_

_Los Angeles, California_

The decision to incorporate white into their wedding colors was an easy one.

Having finally agreed on Kim's earlier suggestion of pink and black, the couple resolved that while she was hardly a virginal bride, a wedding dress in a more traditional hue was probably a smart concession.

As it was, the aptly titled "Seashell" shade was _nearly_ white, but gave off the softest hint of pink in the light.

The cut of the dress was pretty simple, as per Kim's request. But it would be breathtaking when worn, owing in large part to Kim's tiny and toned physique. She was thankful she'd kept in shape after having given birth. Her years spent not only as a gymnast but a Ranger left her ever conscious of her figure.

Strapless with a sweetheart neckline, the gown hugged her modest curves without looking like it was glued to her body. Kim shuddered at the memories of leotards and spandex.

The dress flared out at the knees, extending to the floor. The train was humble to which Kim was grateful, for while she was slim she was still exceedingly short. She came up to Tommy's chest as it was. In heels, she'd be lucky to reach his neck. And she certainly didn't want to be fighting with excessive fabric all day.

No embellishments, save for the slight pink sheen, cluttered the garment. It was a far cry from the overblown ball gown she'd imagined in her youth. She'd wanted to look like a Disney princess at her wedding, once upon a time. But there was no remorse for her long lost teenage fantasy as she currently examined her reflection.

Her present lack of makeup and messy ponytail notwithstanding, she knew when the day came she'd feel as beautiful as she always imagined herself as a girl. Only now, she'd be a woman. Sentimentally, she still felt like she was marrying her prince.

Kim stepped out of the fitting room. She held the front hem and waddled gingerly over to her friends. Aisha and Kat sat up from their lounged positions on the bench.

Kat clapped as Aisha whistled, "Damn girl!"

Kim blushed. She did a small turn as the women appraised the dress from every angle.

Kat smiled, "You look simply divine, Kimberly."

Kim bit her lip and waved off their compliments, "Oh, stop it you guys."

Kat had done the unnecessary but thoughtful favor of commissioning her friend Chloe to design Kimberly's dress. They'd had their preliminary meeting July 8th, the day after Kim's disastrous dinner with her mother. Between Kim's fragile emotions and Chloe's concern about designing a dress on such short notice, it was a wonder she was standing here now.

But Kat had really stepped up, appealing to Chloe as a friend and making sure Kim's dress was given priority. Chloe conceded. She'd met with Kim two other times after that. Aisha had been to the second fitting. Kat had opted out every time until now, having felt she'd imposed upon Chloe enough already.

Aisha was skeptical of Kat's seemingly blatant attempt to make amends with Kimberly, but Kim assured her that the blonde's intentions were nothing if not noble. Though Kimberly admitted that in her more self-righteous moments she was perfectly willing to let Kat atone.

"Annie!" Aisha called out, "Get your butt over here and come see this!"

"I'm looking for something!" Annie shouted back.

Kim shimmied closer to the mirrored wall and surveyed her reflection.

"She's freaking out about her own dress," Kim explained gently.

Aisha pulled her purse into her lap, fishing for her camera. "Still?" she snickered.

Kim shrugged, "She turned thirteen and poof! Suddenly she's _such a girl."_

The women continued to talk through the mirror.

"She's officially one of us now," Kat said with a wistful sigh.

"Didn't you tell her she could wear whatever she wanted?" Aisha asked the reflection.

"Yes!" Kim groaned, "I even tried to ease her stress by saying she could wear her combat boots this time."

Kat cackled wildly as Aisha grimaced, "Those ugly ass bricks that Tommy bought her?"

"That we used to wear, mind you," Kat teased, leaning back against the bench.

Aisha halted her camera search. She held up an indignant finger to the blonde.

"I did not wear platform boots, thank you very much," Aisha defended.

"You know what she said to me?" Kim fielded, "She said, '_yeah right mom, as if I'd ever wear those to a wedding!_'"

The girls roared in delight. Kim held up her hands in resignation, "Heaven help us all," she snickered.

"I think I miss six year old Annie," Aisha chuckled.

"God, I can't believe Annie's thirteen already," Kat balked.

"I know," Kim whispered. She stared at her reflection some more, suddenly contemplative.

Aisha produced the camera triumphantly. Dropping her purse to the floor, she stood to corral Kim around to face her.

"Well, let's get a picture of you in this thing," she instructed.

Kat stood as well and helped Kimberly over to the tailor's platform. Kim braced herself with Kat's hand as she carefully stepped up.

She smoothed her hands down the front anxiously. "So, we like it, yeah?" Kim asked, getting back to the purpose of the day.

"Well you know it's not nearly sparkly enough for _me_," Aisha quibbled, "But then, I don't have to wear it."

Kim snorted as Kat took a step back to consider the whole vision. Kim turned to her, awaiting her evaluation.

"I think it's quite fetching," Kat confirmed, "Tommy's going to be in awe."

The two women shared a smile. Aisha ushered Kat away from the podium and poised her camera.

She stopped as she viewed Kim through the lens. "Girl, you need your shoes."

Kat was on it. "Chloe's has them up front," she told them, "I'll get them. It'll give me a chance to let her know how satisfied the bride is with her work!"

Kim stopped her on her way. "Thank you Kat," she said, "It really is everything I wanted."

Kat reached out and squeezed her hand. "It's my pleasure, Kimberly," she smiled, "I'll be right back."

While Kat sought out Chloe and the shoes, Aisha lowered her camera and shot Kim a knowing look.

"That girl needs to forgive herself already," she clucked her tongue, "You did."

Kim sighed, "I certainly didn't make it easy for her."

Aisha shook her head. "Well I'm not giving up my spot as Maid of Honor so she needs to cool it."

Kimberly clutched her stomach painfully, "Sha, stop! I can't laugh in this dress!"

"Mom!" Annie's voice rang out, "I need your help!"

The two women scanned the shop, trying to get a fix on the girl's location. When that proved futile, Kim called out, "Where are you sweetie?"

"I'm over here!" Annie whined.

"That was nice and vague," Kim grumbled.

She started to step down before Aisha halted her.

"I got this," Aisha said, "You stay put."

Kim nodded as Aisha went off in search of Annie. The former Yellow Ranger played Marco Polo with the girl for a while before the sound of their mutual laughter indicated they'd found each other. Kim smiled as Aisha chided the teen's hysterics and ordered Annie to try on her selections.

Kat finally returned, shoes in hand. She glanced around realizing their companion was missing.

"Where's Aisha?"

"Annie had a crisis," Kim explained, "And I can't move very fast right now."

"Well I've got your shoes," Kat said, presenting up the heels.

Kimberly cooed as Kat kneeled. "Here, let me help you," the blonde offered.

Kim gratefully steadied herself with a hand to Kat's shoulder as they worked together to slide her feet into each shoe.

Kim looked over her shoulder into the mirror, lifting the front hem of her dress to assess the look of the shoes. Kat remained prostrate on the floor, still aiding Kim as she buckled the ankle straps.

Kat's current position and the woman's eager willingness to help her reminded Kim of Aisha's earlier comments.

"There you are," Kat said with a flourish.

She stood back up as Kim let the hem fall once more. They studied the complete look together.

"I really meant what I said earlier," Kim told her, "Thank you for everything, Kat. You didn't have to do all this."

"I meant it too. It was my pleasure," Kat said before pausing briefly, "And I kind of needed to. To apologize."

And like that, Aisha's sentiments were thrown back in Kim's face.

Kim shook her head. "But Kat, I'm not the one you need to apologize to," she told her gently, "We already did this. We made up. I forgive you."

Kat nodded. "I know. But every happy day I spend with Jason just reminds me that I still haven't talked to Billy. I have to appease my guilt somehow," she explained sheepishly.

"Well maybe you'll get your chance," Kim informed her, "He's coming into town a week before the wedding."

Kat's eyes widened, "Really? What for?"

_To possible set him up with the woman who's renting out her café for my wedding_, Kim thought to herself.

She debated how hurtful her candor might be at this moment. On the one hand, given how they got together, and if Kat was truly happy now with Jason, she had no right to begrudge Billy meeting someone new. On the other hand, Kim understood all too well how possessive entitlement to an ex-lover had a way of rearing its ugly head at such news.

But as she had with Jason, Kim gave the woman a reprieve. She meant what she said. They'd already done this. They'd made up. She forgave her.

So with an airy shrug Kim simply said, "Oh, he's just helping us with some technical issues."

Kat seemed to release the breath she'd been holding. She smiled at Kim and nodded, "Well perhaps we will get a chance to talk then."

Aisha reemerged suddenly, pulling a frustrated Annie by the hand. The two former Pink Rangers turned to greet them, both silently tabling their former conversation.

Annie slumped to the bench and collapsed. The pile of dresses in her arms bunched as she sat. Aisha shook her head and greeted her two friends.

"I'm about to throttle this one," Aisha fumed, pointing a finger at the teenager.

Kat flinched at the prospect as Kim instantly turned to her daughter.

"What happened?" Kim asked.

Annie gave Kim a miserable look before turning back to Aisha, pleading with her eyes.

"Oh no baby girl," Aisha warned, "I already saved your ass once. Tell your mom what you did."

Kim's eye grew wider as she demanded, "What did you do?"

The girl started crying before she could get the words out. Kat's arm shot out automatically to help Kim as she tried to step off the platform. The bride-to-be crossed over to her daughter and sat down carefully beside her. Wrapping a loving arm around the girl's shoulder, she asked again softly, "Annie, you need to tell me what happened, okay?"

"I can't!" came Annie's muffled sob. Kim looked to Kat who just shrugged. Kim then tried Aisha. Her best friend just shook her head and held up her hands, signifying her silence on the matter.

Kim rubbed soothing circles along Annie's back as the girl choked back her tears. Kim hushed her to get her to calm her breathing.

"Annie?" Kim implored her. She had a feeling she knew what had happened. But Annie needed to confess it.

"I tried…" The girl began, her voice catching as she blubbered, "I tried to…to take…dress…and hide…my bag but…Aunt Ish caught…and I…sorry…I'm really…sorry…I'm…"

Kim hushed her some more, getting the gist of the story. Kim inhaled sharply and looked up at Aisha.

"Did you speak to someone?" Kim asked calmly.

Aisha nodded, "Yeah, the clerk on that side of the store," Aisha explained, "I told her it was all a big misunderstanding and that her mom was just across the way getting fitted for her wedding dress."

Kim sighed. God this was mortifying. For Annie too, she was sure. But boy did it look bad on Kim's part. She removed her arm from the girl's shoulder and laid her hands in her lap.

"What did the clerk say?" Kim wondered, "Is she going to inform Chloe?"

"She said she'd avoid telling Chloe if Annie agreed to pay for what she was going to steal."

Kim stood abruptly. "No way, absolutely not," She argued.

Annie looked up at the older women, "I'll pay for the stuff—"

Kim shot her a livid expression, "So you get to _have_ the shit you were going to steal? Forget it."

Annie flinched at her mom's sharp tone. Though she supposed it was warranted. She stood timidly and tried to hand off the heap of garments to Kim.

Kim made no move to hold the clothes. She pushed them back at the girl, eyeing her incredulously.

"Oh no, _You'll_ be the one to put back every single dress you pulled, young lady," Kim scolded, "And I'm going to watch you do it."

"Let me speak to the clerk," Kat offered suddenly.

She'd been quiet during the moment because it wasn't her place to say anything. She wasn't Annie's mom, nor had she helped raise her like Aisha had. But Chloe was a friend, and she probably had some pull with the other employees. She'd do what she could.

Kat left before Kim could acquiesce to her suggestion. The brunette rounded in on her daughter once more.

"You!" she directed, "You stay put while I change and then you're going to fix this whole mess, you understand?"

Annie nodded as Kim turned to leave. Aisha grabbed her friend's arm, stopping her on her way.

"Look, I think the clerk had a good idea," Aisha said, "Annie pays for the things she tried to steal but with her own money and every time she looks at the dress it'll remind her of what she did."

Kim gave her a sad smile, "It's not a bad idea, Sha," she told her. "But I think Annie already knows she did wrong. There's no reason to keep punishing her."

Aisha nodded reluctantly, but conceded to Kim's position as mother.

"Why don't you take your time and I'll go return the clothes with Annie," Aisha suggested.

Kim shook her head, "No," she said gently, "I should do it. But will you wait with her while I change?"

"Of course," Aisha said quietly.

Kim silently thanked her as she awkwardly dashed back to the fitting room. Aisha turned to face Annie. The girl cowered as Aisha collapsed on the bench beside her. They were silent for the longest time. Neither looked at the other, neither said a word.

This incident with Annie broke Aisha's heart. Annie was a good kid, _usually_. The girl probably had every right to act out but she didn't, _most of the time_. Slips into brat-mode were acceptable up to a point. But shoplifting?

Aisha supposed something like this had to happen at some point. Annie was growing up and her dynamic among those she interacted with was bound to change. But Aisha had helped Kim raise the little girl after Trini passed away. And she loved her like the godmother she was. It was hard to see Annie get in trouble. It was hard to be the one she was in trouble with.

Aisha was proud of Kim just now. She knew how horrified she was upon hearing what Annie had done. She saw the shame in her face. But if Kat needed to forgive herself so did Kim, for obviously varied reasons. Aisha couldn't fathom what it was like raising a teenaged girl. Kim had done an amazing job, all things considered. She was firm but non-judgmental. Compassionate without kowtowing. Aisha guessed that Kim was growing up too. Her composure today proved it.

Annie finally hazarded a glance to her left where her godmother sat. Eyes swollen and face puffy she squeaked out, "I'm really sorry Aunt Isha."

Aisha spared the girl a look of her own. She sighed tiredly. Without a word she wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders and gave her an affectionate squeeze.

_September 20__th__, 2008_

_8:23pm_

_Sir Mex A-Lot's Mexican Cuisine_

_Reefside, California_

After the bridal shop fiasco Kim had puzzled at the best way to discipline her daughter. When she'd consulted Tommy he regretfully suggested grounding her, to which he'd included his dinner this evening.

At first Kim thought the idea to be cruel. Since father and daughter had missed out on so much of each other already, Kim was reticent to keep them apart deliberately. But it was his decision. And it wasn't as though he had to avoid her. They'd gotten their quality time today, but it was limited.

The adults were clearly taking advantage of the teenager's absence. Five former superheroes: now well into their adulthood, all leading very different lives, sitting in a restaurant and enjoying themselves thoroughly. It was a simple pleasure really, despite all of their extraordinary beginnings.

Kim idly wondered if she should call home to check in with Annie.

All Tommy could think was how lucky he was to be surrounded by these people.

That, and how he would definitely have to bring Rocky back to this place. The décor was ostentatious but in a groovy sort of way, kind of like Rocky himself.

Everything paid homage to Dias de los Muertos, if the Day of the Dead had taken place in a sports bar.

Huge flat screens lined the walls, tuned to various games. The bar was in the center with tables on each side while booths ran along the outer edge. The lighting was dim, to provide better viewing of the screens, of course. A jaunty skeleton sculpture graced every table in the center to hold the menus.

They'd arrived around seven, ate a half hour later and then ordered drinks. They'd been going strong for an hour. It was exactly what Tommy had wanted, an easygoing dinner with his friends. He was sad when he considered his daughter's absence. But she'd made a bad move and needed to reap the consequences. Frankly, he thought she'd gotten off easy. Nowadays to be thirteen and grounded in your room was hardly a punishment. They'd not imposed any restrictions barring the girl from chatting online or watching TV. Only that she couldn't go out with her friends for a week. And he'd taken her out to lunch during school today. That was the best he could do right now.

Kim's movement broke him of thoughts. She grabbed her purse and rose from her seat.

"I'll be right back," she announced, "I'm just going to check in with Annie."

She leaned over and gave Tommy a quick kiss before she left the table. He watched her for a moment, smiling to himself as she stepped outside.

Aisha mindlessly gnawed on a tortilla chip. "So Kat," she piped up, "What are you wearing to the wedding? I never got a chance to ask you."

"Oh it's this strappy gold number I saw online," Kat told her. Intrigued, Aisha leaned forward as Kat continued.

"It's about knee length with a tiny slit on the side..."

Aisha gushed, "That'll look gorgeous on you!"

"What about yours?"

Jason shook his head when it seemed they weren't stopping any time soon. He turned to the man of the hour and leaned in his chair.

"They've gone to dress heaven," he snickered.

Tommy smiled as he regarded the two women for a moment. The men laughed as they watched the girls continue to talk excitedly about their garments for the wedding.

"So, you wearing a tux?" Jason asked cheekily.

"Yep," Tommy said simply, taking a swig of his beer.

Jason nodded and went to take a sip of his drink, spilling some down his shirtfront. He groaned as Tommy chuckled at the man's misfortune.

The girls were stopped in their dress discussion to watch Jason trying to wipe off the slush with his hand.

"Oh! Let me do it," Kat scolded. She smacked his hand away and dipped a napkin in some water. Jason lifted his chin as she helped him blot away the mess.

"Thank you baby," he said, "I'm a mess."

"You're a cheap date is what you are," Kat teased. He smiled and placed a soft kiss to her lips.

"How was everyone's food?" Aisha surveyed, taking a careful sip of her own margarita.

Now clean, Jason reclined in his seat and rested his arm against the back of Kat's chair.

"Spicy," Tommy answered the question, finishing off his drink.

"Filling," Kat added with a remorseful pat to her stomach, "I can't eat like this again until after the wedding."

Aisha laughed, nodding in agreement.

Jason rolled his eyes, "Women!" he teased. Kat swatted him in the chest as Aisha threw a chip at him.

He laughed, "Why am I always getting assaulted by flying objects?"

Kim returned appearing a bit flustered. "Sorry guys," she apologized.

The group absently greeted her as Aisha and Jason continued their playful feud.

Kat chuckled at the two, taking another sip of her drink.

Kim took her seat and tossed her purse under the table. Tommy casually rested a hand on her thigh.

"How's Annie?" he asked.

"She's fine," she reported, "Doing her homework, _allegedly._"

Tommy noted her clipped tone, "You okay?" he asked quietly.

"Pierre beeped in while I was talking to Annie," she said.

Tommy looked at her expectantly, "And?" he wondered.

Kim inhaled sharply. She would absolutely not cry right here at the table. Not on Tommy's birthday, not over this.

"They don't think they can make the wedding," Kim explained. She steadied her breath, "But Pierre said to save their seats just in case."

Tommy nodded, rubbing her back soothingly. "Well that's something, right?"

Kim shrugged. She supposed Pierre's news could have been worse. She knew it could have. But that didn't stop the disappointment Kim felt.

The tears started forming anyway. Her breath was a bit ragged as she tried to keep her sobs muffled. Thank God the other three were too engrossed to notice. She didn't want to spoil the evening. It was bad enough that Tommy was the one she had to unload on. He'd never see it that way, but she felt guilty just the same.

"I'm just so pissed at them, _at her_," Kim spat, "Who puts their daughter on standby on her wedding?"

Tommy's brow was furrowed so tightly, his eyes started to throb. He was watching Kim so intently. He had no solution and he hated it. There was nothing he could do for her except continue to rub her back and listen.

The clinking of Jason's margarita glass caught their attention.

Tommy lowered his face to look at Kim, discreet as possible. "You okay?"

Kim nodded silently. Sniffling, she quickly blotted her eyes with her napkin. Tommy pulled her closer and pressed a soft kiss to her temple as they turned their attention on the man in red.

"I would like to propose a toast," Jason announced.

The party hushed as best they could, the rest of the restaurant still bustling.

"To my best friend, Thomas," Jason continued, keeping his glass held high, "Tommy. Tom. He's thirty one and he's getting married, you sonofabitch."

"Someone please stop him," Kat cringed.

Aisha patted her back, "And he's _all _yours," she ribbed good-naturedly.

"Is this what we can expect at the wedding?" Tommy whispered into Kim's ear, "Jason's shtick is like fifty year old man humor."

Kim snorted. She clamped a hand to her mouth to stifle it. Tommy innocently smiled back Jason. He was pleased he'd made Kim laugh for a second.

"Okay, Seriously though," Jason resumed his speech, "Tommy, thank you for not chumping out and letting us take you to dinner. I'll save the rest for the wedding but just know that I love you bro. Happy Birthday."

Aisha and Kat dissolved into a chorus of precious coos as Tommy stood to give Jason a quick hug. The men shared a laugh as Tommy whispered something in secret. They ended the embrace with a handshake.

Returning to their seats, Kim leaned over and cupped Tommy's face. "I love you."

He smiled as she closed the distance with a steamy kiss, his hand coming up to fist her hair. Their company let them be for a moment, sharing knowing looks before the whistles and catcalls began.

They broke the kiss on their own time, smiling at one another. Kim reached over to wipe off some of her lipstick from Tommy's face.

Aisha's wolf whistle was heard again. Tommy blushed as Kim sat back in her seat. He grabbed her hand under the table and squeezed.

After a moment, Kat zeroed in on Tommy.

"So birthday boy," she smiled, taking a sip of her drink, "How's it feel to be thirty one?"

The group turned to him expectantly. Tommy shrugged, swishing his beer around in the glass.

"Same as thirty did, I guess," he told them.

Aisha nodded, "But you got a whole lot more to celebrate this year don'tcha?"

Tommy beamed. "Do I ever," he said, glancing down at Kim.

Aisha raised her glass, leading the other four in a cheers. "Here, here!"

Bottles and cups clanked together as they all shouted merrily.

"Happy Birthday, Handsome," Kim winked.

He smiled, gracing her with a simple kiss to the lips. They'd have their own private celebration later.

_**AN: A nice long chapter after a nice long absence. This should set up everything else that's left to come. Stay tuned and always, please read and review! Catch ya on the flipside!**_


	44. This Box Contains

_**Pulse**_

_**AN: Hello again. Another long chapter awaits you. More wedding shenanigans, romance, and a little smut lest we forget this story's M rating, plus much more! Also, more friends and family start to arrive. Enjoy! Please read and review!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Chapter 44**_

_**This Box Contains…**_

_September 28__th__, 2008_

_4:56pm_

_Tommy and Kim's House_

_Reefside, California_

One week.

One week, and quite possibly the biggest day of her life would arrive.

Annie fell back onto her bed with a sigh. The guitar clutched in her right hand thudded against her thigh.

"I'm never gonna learn this song," she muttered to the empty room.

She supposed it was a tad melodramatic to say her parent's wedding would be the biggest day of her life. At least, of _her _life. It wasn't _her_ wedding after all.

And she'd just turned thirteen. She was officially a teenager. That was supposed to be a milestone of some sort, right? She'd also gotten her first period a bunch of months back. That was definitely supposed to be important. She was like, a woman now or whatever.

She shuddered in remembrance.

But her parent's impending nuptials _were_ a big deal, if not indirectly for her. They'd been through so much, had overcome so much, and she'd been privy to a lot it. Despite her parent's only having reconnected a little over a year ago, and then officially getting back together even less than that, she'd been there for most of it.

And she was excited. Beyond the moon, in fact. Getting to know her father and seeing her mother so genuinely happy was an amazing experience. Annie could hardly believe she'd never known the man named Tommy Oliver until a year ago.

Tommy Oliver. Her father.

She briefly considered if her last name would change along with her mom's. She supposed it'd have to. Not that she minded.

"Annie Oliver," she mused aloud.

She liked the extra syllables, she decided. They sounded better than the abrupt stop her mother's last name made.

But now she was set to play a song at the wedding, per her own suggestion. The friends who'd agreed to sing and perform at the wedding wouldn't be backing her up for this song. No, this song she had wanted to play solo. She had been practicing for most of the summer.

She had been practicing just now too. But nerves were edging their way from her stomach and into her fingers. She had a decent voice, if she did say so herself. That wasn't the problem. All the months she'd spent painstakingly choosing a song, learning the chords, learning the lyrics…she just wanted it to be perfect.

She sat up and glanced at the sheet music sprawled out around her. She'd briefly considered doing an Ani Difranco song. As she constantly reminded all who met her, the folk singer was a personal favorite. But when she'd found the Led Zeppelin song during a frenzied Itunes binge, she decided on that instead. Maybe she was growing up.

Giving up for the time being, Annie puttered across her room and gently set the instrument back on its stand. She stood dazed for a moment, lost in her thoughts.

Her life had changed so much already the wedding was just another thing on a long list. She'd started to work at Haley's Cybercafe a week after her birthday, just as the woman had promised her. The life of a dishwasher was hardly glamorous, but it was her first job. To that, she was proud. Initially, she'd feared it was too much, school _and_ a job. So did Kim and Tommy. But they'd agreed that as long as her grades didn't suffer she could keep bussing away at Haley's. So far she'd managed.

At least her mom didn't work at her school anymore. She cringed inwardly as her guilt zapped that last thought. She didn't mean it in a bad way.

But Annie was an eighth grader now. She'd felt the pang of Junior High way back when she was a mere seventh grader. She understood that middle school was rife with the threat of humiliation _without _adding your mother to the equation.

She loved her mom, both as a mom and as a teacher. She was just grateful for a change. This small flame of victory would burn out in a year anyway, so her gratitude could stay.

She'd made some new friends already, which was definitely a plus. Her dinner and a movie slumber party birthday weekend had been fun despite not knowing all the girls very well. She'd tried to keep in touch with a few of her old ones back home but with the distance it was almost pointless. Now that she and her mom had officially moved to Reefside there was little reason to visit Angel Grove anymore. Annie resigned herself to the fact that she had to start fresh.

And it was nice, living in Reefside.

Her dad's place, which she suddenly remembered was now her place too, was right on the beach, she couldn't be happier.

There were a lot of benefits living with Tommy, excluding the obvious like her parents' happiness, not commuting, more space, and so forth.

For one, she got to see her uncle Jason all the time now. And since he and Kim had reconciled, it was again bearable to hang out all together. It was even cool to see Kat more often, as the pretty blonde and her uncle seemed to grow closer all the time.

Annie broke out of her trance and glanced at the clock. _Almost six,_ she thought to herself. She debated whether or not to do her homework.

Deciding no, she opened her bedroom door and caught a whiff of dinner being made. Smiling, she headed for the kitchen.

One of the other benefits of having moved in with Tommy was the food. Kim was a decent cook, but her specialties were limited. Not to mention the fact that she imposed all these restrictions on items allowable for consumption.

Soda especially.

It was a constant peeve of Annie's. Had been ever since she'd drank her first, only to get an earful from the Nutrition Nazi after daring to pop open another.

She was a kid, for cryin' out loud! She didn't do drugs, she'd never tried cigarettes or alcohol… she didn't even sneak out! _Okay, so there was one time she sort of made plans without asking permission first. And of course the whole shoplifting incident last week, but still! She really was a good kid! _

Given her mom's soft drink policing, Annie briefly wondered if Kim would rather her shoplift again than drink soda.

The crack of the metal tab set it off.

Kim huffed and ceased her table setting. She threw the napkin she was holding down on the table and rested her hand on her hip, "How many times are we going to have this discussion, Anneliese?"

Her mom had been relatively calm about the whole stealing thing. So had Tommy, really. Other than being grounded for the week, her parents had put a lot of faith in the fact that it was an isolated incident, which it totally was. Annie was not about to incur their wrath should she attempt something so stupid again.

So it was a bit audacious for her at this moment to be flaunting the soft drink in front of her mother. But Annie really thought the woman's belief on the subject was stupid. She knew her dad did too. Perhaps that's why she ignored Kim's reprimand and took a slurp of the fizzy drink.

Tommy continued to stir the contents on the stove.

"Kim, its just soda," he sighed.

"That stuff is nothing but sugar," Kim supplied, resuming her table setting, "I don't even know why we keep that junk in the house."

Now was not the time for Tommy to mention the beer and alcohol the adults occasionally enjoyed imbibing as Kim continued her rant.

"Hundreds of empty calories that's just going to rot her teeth and spoil her appetite..."

Both father and daughter rolled their eyes at the woman's mumbled judgment.

"Better wash up, Annie. Dinner's almost ready," Tommy announced sweetly.

"Thank goodness," Annie responded in kind, "I'm_ starving_."

Annie went to the sink to wash her hands as Jason entered the kitchen.

"Something smells good, bro," Jason praised, crossing to the fridge.

"Chicken Kiev," Tommy supplied, "Got the recipe from Mr. Dumas."

"Oh yeah," Jason pondered, "Any more news about your mom, Kim?"

He closed the fridge to lean against it.

"Not since last week," Kim started, still setting the table, "Things are still a bit up in the air."

Jason nodded, "It'll be okay, Kimbo," he assured her, popping the tab of his soda before taking a long swig.

Annie shut the water and idly dried her hands on a towel as she waited for her mother's reaction. Tommy set the burner to low and turned around.

Kim shot Jason a withering glare. Annie crossed her arms smugly. Tommy tried in vain to stifle a chuckle.

Kim dropped the flatware with a clank and held up her hands in defeat.

"I give up," she sighed. And without another word, Kim turned and left the kitchen.

Jason watched her go before turning back to Tommy and Annie, profoundly confused.

"What'd I do?"

_September 29__th__, 2008_

_7:36pm_

_Tommy and Kim's House_

_Reefside, California_

"What time did Billy say he'd be here?" Tommy called out from the bathroom.

Kim glanced at the bedside clock.

"Eight-ish," Kimberly answered, surveying the papers on her lap, "What if we put Rocky and his date with Uncle Howard?"

Now that everyone had received their wedding invitations and had responded either way, the final preparations were being made. _Like the seating chart._

Tommy and Kim had held off making the table arrangements before they knew for certain if Kim's mom and Pierre were coming. Since they still hadn't received a response, they were left with no choice but to finalize it without them.

"Who else is at that table?" Tommy called out again.

Kim referenced the guest list, "Billy and his dad and Trini's parents," she told him.

"That'd make seven at that table," he informed her, coming out of the bathroom.

"Oh shit, you're right," she groaned.

Tommy collapsed onto the bed beside her.

"You think Billy and Zack are sore that I didn't end up making them groomsmen?" Tommy wondered.

He picked at a few random sheets of paperwork as Kim continued to silently mull over the logistics.

"Nah," she said absently, "They understand."

"Rocky has a date?" Tommy suddenly said with a laugh.

Kim laughed too. "Yep," she confirmed, "Some girl he met at a restaurant in Houston."

"Of course he met her in a restaurant," Tommy continued to chuckle.

"I think he said she's a sous-chef," Kim explained.

Tommy shook his head, utterly amused. "Oh God, she's a chef too?" Tommy crowed.

Kim snickered. "I know. He must be totally in love."

Tommy leaned over to look at the chart.

"Okay then," Tommy considered, "What if Rocky and Miss sous-chef sat with Kat, Tanya and Justin?"

"Bulk, Connie and Skull are already there," Kim countered.

"I still can't believe Bulk and Skull are coming," Tommy mused, "And Bulk's wife!"

Kim had another thought. "Maybe if I put Zack with—"

"Who are we forgetting?" Tommy interrupted. He took the seating chart from Kim and began listing off the names in his head.

She handed off another piece of paper. "Guest list is right here," she informed him.

Kim fell back into the bed and draped an arm over her eyes. Tommy read the names aloud.

"Me, you, Annie, Jason, Adam, Aisha…" he mumbled.

"The Wedding party is set," Kim said tiredly, "That one's not changing."

"Jason's parents…" he read, "Oh! That reminds me, I need to call my parents."

Kim removed her arm and turned to face him. "When are they getting into town?" she asked.

"Monday," he said, still examining the diagram, "They're gonna flip over Annie."

"Did you send them those pictures I gave you?" Kim yawned.

He tossed the papers back onto the pile before lying down to face his fiancée.

"Yes dear," he said cheekily, placing a quick kiss on her nose.

Kim stuck her tongue out at him. He caught it with his teeth, quickly turning the action into a kiss.

She grabbed his head to pull him closer. He slowly teased her bare shoulder with his long fingers, eliciting goosebumps as he trailed his hand along her soft skin.

She scratched the nape of his neck and tugged on his hair. He growled appreciatively.

The doorbell rang.

They groaned their collective frustration but neither gave up the other's mouth.

They knew their sudden interlude would be interrupted at any moment. Tommy decided there wasn't time for seduction.

He slid his hand in between them, dipping into the front of Kim's pants. Knowing his urgent purpose, Kim spread her legs wider to allow better access. He immediately sought her center, sliding two fingers inside without preamble.

She sucked on his tongue as he pumped his fingers quickly in and out of her sex. Lying on their sides became a struggle as Kim drew closer to climax. Breaking the kiss, Tommy eased her backwards, his digits still dragging up and down along her drenched folds.

The doorbell rang again.

Kimberly keened, pitching her hips to hit Tommy's hand. He lay on his stomach beside her, observing her face in earnest. His rubbing became rougher. He had one objective.

"Mom! Dad!" Annie shouted from the living room, "Uncle Bill's here!"

Kim shuddered through the wave of her orgasm. Tommy's hand slowed to a soft massage over her mound as she panted quietly. She lay there for a moment catching her breath. Tommy removed his hand, rolled off the bed, and crossed to the bathroom.

Vaguely aware of the water running, Kim just lay there. She idly rubbed her stomach as the water stopped. Tommy reappeared a second later.

She sat up finally, readjusting her twisted tank top. Tommy crossed to her with a sly grin. She looked up as he bent over and gave her a simple kiss.

"Be right down!" Tommy called out, sneaking one final kiss before heading downstairs.

_September 30__th__, 2008_

_11:17am_

_Haley's Cyber Café_

_Reefside, California_

Jason had managed to avoid Billy's arrival. He and Kat had intentionally taken a two- day trip back to L.A. to procure some of Katherine's essential belongings, seeing as the blonde seemed to be sticking around for a while. Tommy wondered when he'd missed the information that yet another person was going to be living in his house, but Kim assured him it had already been discussed. And since he'd agreed to Jason living there a year ago, he supposed the man's girlfriend could too. It's not like he didn't have the space for it, but sometimes he felt like he was running a bed and breakfast.

Since they were already in Los Angeles, Jason and Kat had agreed to bring Zack back up with them this morning. Tommy and Billy having already left for the Café before they returned. It was a French farce kind of weekend; people narrowly avoiding one another's presence by mere minutes. The only small consolation was that Billy was staying in a hotel and not at the house. But the avoidance couldn't last forever. More and more people would keep arriving this week. And no matter where they were staying, it would all culminate at the wedding, if not sooner.

Tommy cringed in anticipation.

"I really appreciate your help with this Billy," Tommy said as he set down the last box of lanterns.

He took a moment to appraise the café. It was definitely industrial, not at all what he'd ever imagined Kim would want for their wedding. But she loved the venue, so he could live with it.

Haley had been more than accommodating. Closing the café down for a week was not in their original agreement. But Haley supposed she'd make her money back after the bill was settled. Plus the cash bar would cushion the rest. Haley had obtained a liquor license years ago. She didn't know if the cybercafé would last as just a coffee shop. So every year, she renewed it just in case.

Haley had made good on her word superficially too. She'd removed the lamps that hung above to make way for the wedding lanterns, and she'd allowed the café's seating areas to be moved or stored. Tommy figured he'd employ Zack to help him after he'd settled in at the house. Tommy knew the former Black Ranger was eager to see Aisha and conspire with the boys about the bachelor party. And since Zack hadn't seen the space yet, Tommy thought moving furniture was as good a reason as any.

"Don't mention it," Billy nodded from his seat on the floor, "I'm always inclined to evaluate the more creative aspects of vocational designs. Such as these instruments are with your impending nuptials."

Tommy just laughed at his friend's response. If he'd had any doubt in trying to set up Billy with Haley, it was definitely gone now.

What started as a simple scheme to get his friend a date had turned into a legitimate endeavor. For once he and Kim started brainstorming reasons to get Billy up to Reefside a week early, they realized they could actually use his help. The couple had merely talked about lighting and ambience complete with Tommy's less than stellar sketches on a coffee napkin. But they had no plan for its execution.

Once they'd decided their rouse was in fact, _real,_ they solidified the design. Only this time, Kim sketched the lighting plot. Tommy placed the order.

Billy stood holding an opened lantern in one hand and the lighting plot in the other. He looked skyward, assessing the ceiling for a moment.

"So according to Kim's sketch," Billy paused to reference the design, "There appears to be approximately two hundred and fifty lanterns. Each a foot in diameter… "

Billy handed off the drawing to Tommy and set down the lantern. Tommy turned the drawing around in his hands, willing himself to see what Billy saw.

"The allotted playing space is fifty by fifty, yes?" Billy wondered.

Tommy scratched his head, "I guess so," he said, assessing the paper.

Billy scanned the café, envisioning the setting. "How many tables?"

Tommy puzzled. He searched his pockets fruitlessly for the seating chart before remembering he'd left it at home.

"Oh man, I don't have it on me," Tommy apologized, "Let me call Kim."

Tommy handed the plot back to his friend. Billy nodded absently as he returned to his mental calculations.

"A tape measure would be most auspicious right about now," Billy mused to himself.

Tommy wandered over to the counter and took a seat. He pulled out his cell phone and hit the button on his speed dial.

A loud metallic rattling startled the two men. They turned to see the back loading door rise. Tommy clamped a hand over his ear and headed for the front door.

"Hey beautiful, can you hear me? It's Tommy..."

Billy looked up to see an attractive redhead appear from the opened doorway. Haley released the handle on the rolling gate and stepped inside. Leaving it open allowed sunlight to pour in. It backlit the woman in a brilliant glow as she approached.

"How's everything coming along?" Haley asked.

Billy shielded his eyes as he stepped over to greet her. "You must be Haley," he guessed, offering his other hand.

Haley shook the proffered limb. "And you must be Billy," Haley said, "Tommy told me you were coming."

Billy gave a short nod and "I'm helping him assess the spatial acuity of these designated ornaments according to the provided design schematic," he explained.

Haley didn't miss a beat.

"May I?" She motioned at the paper in his hands.

Billy graciously handed it off. She perused the drawing as Billy illustrated his idea.

"Given that the determined area is able to withstand the desired volume of illuminated décor, it would be most advantageous to devise a network of cables, thereby affixing each respective lantern to the lattice prior to installation."

Billy cleared his throat once finished. Haley smiled coolly and returned the drawing.

"It appears you've developed quite an effective strategy," she told him, "Have you established the ceiling grid's proportional aspects?"

"Not yet," Billy said.

"Compensated for the vertical axis?" Haley asked again.

"No," he repeated.

"And have you considered the aerial distribution of ornamentation as it relates to the proximity established between the structural components on the floor?"

Billy suddenly realized his competency was being questioned. He eyed the woman suspiciously.

"That was my first inclination," he began tersely.

Haley caught his clipped tone, "The agreed area as stipulated in the contract provides a fifty by fifty expanse for all imported elements."

Billy referenced the plot in his hands. "I've already arrived at that conclusion," he said snidely.

"Perhaps it would be beneficial to reference the seating arrangement in order to conduct a more thorough proposal," Haley suggested cheekily.

Billy clenched his jaw. He did not appreciate her insinuations.

"Tommy is currently corresponding with his fiancée to verify that very thing," he assured her haughtily.

"Of course," Haley began again, "Since you already know the allocated field's measurements, you could feasibly approximate the adjacency of each cluster without a definitive sum."

Not to be outdone, Billy referenced the plot again.

"Conceivably," he challenged, "But unfortunately your establishment seems to be deficient in the fundamental contrivances one would need to arbitrate such an _approximation_."

They stared down one another challengingly. Tommy reappeared moments later, a sheepish grin on his face.

"Billy!" Tommy called out, "Kim says there's five tables. So, thirty guests give or take."

Unaware the two geniuses had locked horns Tommy offered his hand to greet Haley.

"Good to see you again, Tommy," Haley said pleasantly, her eye trained on Billy.

Tommy motioned to the other man, "Haley, this is my friend Billy."

Haley's eyes were full of mirth, "We've met," she smiled wryly.

Billy was not as amused, "Yes, I was just illustrating to Haley the most proficient means of actualizing the design concept."

Haley laughed at his obvious agitation, "I'll get you a tape measure."

She shook her head amusedly, headed for the storeroom. Tommy smiled to himself thinking the plan had worked. He turned back to his friend.

"Haley's pretty great, right?"

Billy snickered, "That woman is insufferable."

Tommy watched bug eyed as Billy walked brusquely away and returned to his work without another word.

He spared a cautious glance over his shoulder where Haley had exited and then back again to Billy, thoroughly confused at his friend's reaction.

"Somebody called for some muscle?"

Zack's booming voice echoed as the front door slammed behind him. Billy looked up from his work but made no move to greet him.

Tommy got to the man first and grabbed his hand. They pulled one another closer, clapping one another's shoulder in a one-armed hug,

They broke their embrace as Zack turned to face Billy. "My Main Brain!" Zack smiled, pulling Billy into another hug.

"Good to see you as always," Billy replied dutifully.

"So," Zack wagged his eyebrows, "Where's that fine redhead?"

Billy looked at the man with a stunned expression. Tommy winced and looked away quickly.

"Man, does Aisha tell you everything?" Tommy muttered under his breath.

Billy's confusion remained as he shot Tommy a look.

"Uh," Tommy stammered, "She went to grab some tape—a tape measuring—a t-tape measure, right Billy?"

Billy sneered at the man's poor recovery as Tommy gave him a sheepish smile.

"Yeah, she'll be right back so we should probably get started moving this furniture whaddya say, Zack? Here let's start with this one in the far corner!"

Tommy Zack by the sleeve, dragging them quickly away from their genius friend.

Billy rolled his eyes at Tommy's obvious backpedalling and went back to his work. He managed a quick glance to the storeroom door before shaking his head and sinking back to the floor.

"Does Billy know you were trying to set him up?" Zack whispered as Tommy released his arm.

"No," Tommy whispered back harshly, "And apparently their first meeting didn't go so hot so shut up about it already."

Tommy jutted his chin to Zack's end of the sofa, indicating him to lift his side as Tommy squatted in preparation. Zack darted a quick look at Billy once again before returning to the conversation and bent down to grab the couch.

"What do you mean it didn't go so hot?" Zack asked as they hoisted up the long bench, "Where is this going?"

Tommy turned and began walking backwards as Zack followed his direction.

"Over by the front, near the computer rows," Tommy told him, "And I don't know, Billy just seemed really steamed when I asked him what he thought of her."

They began navigating along the far side of the room toward the entrance. Tommy motioned to the wall they walked alongside with a nod of his head,

"We've got about four or five tables for the food buffet along here."

Zack approved, "What's the eats like at this shindig?"

"Kim's the pickier eater so I let her choose," Tommy explained, "My only request was some form of meat."

Zack laughed as Tommy turned them once more and started to lower his side. Zack followed suit. They pushed the bench the rest of the way up against the wall with their thighs.

"Did she say something to him?" Zack wondered, refusing to drop the other conversation.

Tommy shrugged, "Someone must have," he supposed, "I clearly missed it."

Zack nodded but said nothing else on the matter. Though he couldn't help but wonder. Billy's already sour impression left him curious. So help him, he loved the gossip. Zack let it go for a moment and looked back at where the couch had just been.

Recalling a previous conversation with Tommy, Zack referenced the sofa.

"So the gift table is going where this guy was?" he clarified.

Tommy affirmed with a nod, pointing to the two remaining benches and the loveseat still sitting in the corner.

"The other three are coming over here too," Tommy said, "Nice little rest area for coats and purses and whatnot."

Zack nodded as they made their way to grab the rest of the furniture. Zack slung a friendly arm over the taller man's shoulder as they walked.

"Jason tell you our idea for your bachelor party?"

"Don't tell me a thing," Tommy pleaded, "Kim and I agreed that I couldn't be held responsible for anything if I don't know what the plan is."

Zack clapped his hand on Tommy's back, "Say no more my friend," he chuckled, "We will keep you blindfolded if we have to."

Tommy sighed and rounded the next sofa to move. "Just no strippers, okay?" He pleaded, lowering himself to lift the heavy object.

Zack sank down and grabbed his own side of the bench.

"What happened to not being in on the plan?" he teased.

Tommy shot him a withering look as they raised the frame together.

"All right, no naked woman," Zack promised, "But that's all you get to veto."

Tommy laughed, "Deal."

"So uh…" Zack ventured, sparing another look at Billy as they retraced their former path, "You think Billy Man's gonna wanna join us?"

Tommy carefully balanced the sofa in his hands as he surveyed the corner where their friend was still working. Turning back to Zack, he shrugged.

"I hope so," Tommy said, "I'd like all the guys to be there."

Zack nodded, understanding what Tommy had left unspoken. It was no mystery amongst their circle that the bizarre love triangle of Billy, Kat and Jason still hadn't received full closure.

"How bout this?" Zack suggested, "We get them both drunk and watch them duke it out?"

Tommy ruefully shook his head, "Zack…" he warned.

They set the sofa down and positioned it as they did the first one. Zack laughed, swatting him on the chest as another idea struck him.

"It'll be like, Sloan-Park Wedding 2.0"

Tommy swatted Zack in return biting back his own laugh, "That's not funny."

Zack shrugged, knowing the opposite to be true. After the punch Billy threw, they'd all been intrigued enough by their brainy friend to wonder what a real fight between him and Jason would look like. Those who had been on Billy's side, those who had known about the whole affair, were a bit shamefully proud to see the former Blue Ranger stand up for himself like he had.

"Look," Zack said finally, "Maybe it'll be nothing, ya know? Maybe they'll both be cool."

"Man, I hope so." Tommy nodded, "Though Kim would probably put money on that fight."

Zack cackled at the thought. Tanya had been furious at the drama upending her wedding day. Kim on the other hand…well, both men knew that while the petite brunette prized her wedding day like many other brides, she was also a bit sadistic when it came to fighting in the name of closure. Tommy's guess was valid. Kim would probably put money on that fight. She'd been asking all parties involved to talk to one another come hell or high water since the beginning.

Seeing Tommy wistful look, Zack smiled.

"You kinda love that about her don't you?"

Tommy snickered, "Yeah I guess I kinda do."

Zack shook his head in amusement, slapping Tommy on the back once again. "Man, if I haven't said it enough, Congratulations."

Tommy waved him off, "Thanks, man."

"You and Kim finally getting hitched," Zack mused, "You uh, need any dancing tips for the big day?"

"I've danced before Zack," Tommy reminded him.

"Catch her eye with your walk?" Zack's eyes twinkled, "Impress her with some smooth spins?"

"I'm getting a weird sense of déjà vu here," Tommy snickered.

He smiled thoughtfully as Zack demonstrated a few dance moves. Truthfully, Tommy was almost sick about having to dance at the wedding. Like he'd said, he'd danced before, but this was something different. He couldn't get away with spinning Kim mindlessly in a circle. At least for _one_ dance, he probably did need Zack's help.

"Really does make that school dance seem like child's play, doesn't it?" Zack laughed, recalling their shared memory.

Haley emerged from the storeroom a moment later. Zack and Tommy halted in their reverie as they watched her approach.

Billy rose, seeing the small toolbox the woman held in her hands, assuming it was meant for him.

Haley stopped before reaching Billy to introduce herself to the newest visitor of the day.

"Another of Tommy's fellowship I presume?" The woman greeted with her hand out, "Hi, I'm Haley Viktor."

Ever the charmer, Zack gave Tommy a knowing wink before smiling back at her.

"Zack Taylor, and the pleasure is all mine," Zack cooed, placing a kiss on the back of her offered hand, "A beautiful space owned by a beautiful face, how 'bout that?"

Haley blushed at Zack effusive greeting and quickly snapped her hand away, "Yes, how about that?" She replied bashfully.

She clutched the toolbox against her chest protectively.

Zack frowned at the woman's reaction as Tommy stifled a chuckled. Rare it was to see Zack's natural smoothness fall so flat. Even Zack's high school crush Angela hadn't been immune forever. But alas, Haley appeared awkwardly ambivalent to the man's charm.

Billy cleared his throat behind them. Haley blinked before remembering herself and turned to face Billy. He held out his hands for the case.

"I believe that's for me?" He said rhetorically.

Haley nodded and handed off the box. Billy nodded in return before realizing Zack and Tommy were still standing rather close. He glared at the two men, standing dumbly in anticipation like they were about to witness something epic.

Billy bowed his head and studied the toolbox for a moment. Haley gave the other two men a nervous smile. They smiled back eagerly, impish grins plastered to their faces.

"Well, if you gentlemen need anything else, I'll be in my office until three," Haley sighed, "Tommy you have the set of keys I gave you for the week so feel free to conduct whatever other business you need to and just be sure to lock up when you're done."

She spun on her heels abruptly to leave. Zack rushed over and stopped her from getting too far. She yelped slightly as the man grabbed her hand and turned her back to face him.

Billy and Tommy traded stern and apologetic looks, respectively. Zack threaded his arm through the woman's and brought her back over to the group.

"I was just about to give the groom here a dancing lesson and I wondered if I might trouble you for a demonstration?"

Haley look flustered at Zack's question. He didn't give her a chance to object, pulling her over to the bare spot on the floor.

"You stand here," Zack instructed.

"But I'm not really—" she muttered before Zack abandoned her and ran to Billy.

"And Billy Man, you start right here," he added, handing off the toolbox to Tommy and pulling Billy over near Haley.

Billy echoed Haley's protest as Zack positioned them in front of each other. Tommy absently hugged the case now in his hands as he watched Zack in fascination.

Billy eyed his friend skeptically, "I can hardly ascertain why your demonstration requires me—"

"Tommy needs to watch the footwork objectively," Zack reasoned.

Billy continued to grumble, "But I don't—"

"Would you trust me on this?" Zack chided playfully, "I'm a professional."

Tommy smirked as Zack positioned one of Billy's hands on Haley's waist. Haley kept unusually silent as Zack did the same to her, only resting hers on Billy's shoulder. Their other hands he held up and out, locking them together.

"Now we're gonna start with a simple box step," Zack explained, "Billy I've shown you this before."

Billy nodded reluctantly, swallowing the lump in his throat. Haley stood still, her hands frozen in their designated positions.

Zack counted them off in time to imaginary music as Billy took his first step. Haley instinctively pulled when she should have pushed and the couple stumbled immediately.

"I believe Zack intended for me to lead," Billy told the woman.

Haley bit back a scoff, "Well that's a bit presumptuous, don't you think?"

Tommy winced as Zack chuckled. So, Haley was clearly used to leading. That wasn't a surprise. Haley made excuses as Zack came over.

"I realize you would have no way of knowing that I too perhaps know how to perform a simple beginner's waltz but I think it's absurd that the man assumes—"

"Haley," Zack calmed her softly, "I have no doubt you are perfectly capable of leading a simple dance. But you see, Tommy here is a nervous wreck about impressing his girl on their wedding. So I need Billy to assume Tommy's role and you be Kim, okay?"

"Yes, I understand," Haley nodded, "This exhibition is for Tommy's benefit."

Zack snickered, "But Kim's a great dancer, so feel free to show off those moves you got," He praised, "Cause I can tell you do."

Haley blushed furiously and laughed self-consciously. Billy fidgeted for a moment as the pair clumsily repositioned themselves back into place.

"And again," Zack started, counting off the beats once more. He smiled to himself when he saw Haley almost repeat the same misstep, but she recovered quickly. Slowly, the pair eased into a gentle rhythm. Zack urged them to continue, backing up a bit to confide with Tommy.

"This is for _my_ benefit, huh?" Tommy teased, using Haley's phrase.

Zack shrugged and folded his arms across his chest, "Killing two birds with one stone," Zack corrected.

"Billy's a better dancer than I realized," Tommy chuckled as he watched the spinning couple.

"I think he's better at a lot of things than we realized," Zack added, motioning to the small smile that crept along Billy's face as he continued to dance.

Haley looked back at the two men as Billy led them into another turn.

"Your friend Zack seems to exercise his abundant charisma rather flagrantly."

The man in question glanced back at his friends. After a moment he looked back down at Haley.

"I suspect we've been manipulated under false pretenses," he informed her.

Haley nodded, "Yes his justification for this exercise was particularly flimsy."

Billy had to laugh. "Diaphanous, to be sure," he agreed.

Haley smiled at the man's seemingly ingrained affectation. It was what had intrigued her earlier. The pair kept on swaying, unaware that they had slipped into a comfortable dance. Almost forgetting they were being watched.

"I owe you an apology," Haley said suddenly, looking up at him as they waltzed.

Billy furrowed his brow and caught her gaze, silently awaiting an explanation.

"I assumed your extensive vocabulary was an indication of a similar social ineptitude that I possess," She offered.

"So you surmised you could appeal to me on that level?" Billy guessed.

Haley nodded, "Erroneously," she added with a dry laugh.

Billy graced her with a small chuckle of his own. "Despite my highly attuned intellect, I seem to have acquired highly devoted companions, owning for this childish sportiveness."

Haley stole a glance at the two men still watching their every move and laughed again.

"Well, _in spite_ of _my_ highly attuned intellect, I seem to scare off more people than attract them."

Billy smiled down at her, neither aware they had stopped moving but were still holding each other in their waltz positions.

"I'm certain your appeal is greater than you give it credit for," he ventured bravely.

Haley bowed her head to hide her blush. She was a bit new to tender displays.

She forced herself to lift her head and meet his eyes again.

"I'm usually much more direct than I was earlier today," Haley told him simply.

"I concluded as much," Billy started before catching himself, "I mean, I figured."

Haley continued, "I'm sorry if my tone was perceived as threatening or condescending."

Billy shook his head, struggling with the simplest way to express his next thought. He'd never really met anyone who could communicate with him as precisely as he did. Even Katherine, who had grown to understand him, still puzzled on occasion at his heightened choice of word. Or Trini, who had understood him better than most, never actually conversed with him the way he had with Haley today.

But now having actually had a conversation with someone who could match his convoluted jargon without breaking a sweat gave him pause.

He supposed Haley was correct about one thing. His vocabulary had derived from a certain social anxiety he'd developed in his youth. Though as he got older he continued to cultivate it, slipping deep into it occasionally as a defense mechanism.

But his defenses were down now. He could try to meet in the middle.

"If I perceived your tone as threatening or condescending," Billy began, "Then it is my fault for getting defensive."

There. That wasn't so bad. Billy smiled proudly. He could talk like a relatively normal person if he wanted to. The irony, trying to simplify his words to the one person he'd met who could actually top his own.

"I guess I owe you an apology too," he added, still trying out his new simpler speech.

Haley smirked, "For what, implying I didn't own a tape measure?" She hazarded a guess.

Billy gave her an unabashed grin. They were both flirting freely now. It felt nice.

"Actually," Billy corrected, "I'm fairly certain I _explicitly_ accused you of not owning a tape measure."

Haley acknowledged her mistake with a cheeky bow of the head, "Yes, yes. I remember now. You were rather _demanding_ in your requests."

Billy's cheeks flushed furiously at her slightly illicit tone. It stirred something in him he hadn't felt in a while. Perhaps not new, but different. He liked it. The sting of Kat and Jason was not gone, due in large part to having yet faced them both together. But it all hurt less now. He couldn't say he was angry anymore.

Of course, standing here in front of this very attractive woman who seem to get him was making it all seem insignificant. He supposed it was what countless others felt all the time, his other friends that had dated numerous people.

They burned, they pined, they perished…

And then they moved on.

So this was Billy, officially moving on.

"I know this might be a bit unorthodox, what I'm about to ask but," Billy cleared his throat. "But would you have any interest in coming to the wedding?"

Haley gave him a wry smile. "I'm already going to be there."

Billy fidgeted, stuffing his hands awkwardly into his pockets, "I was referring to a date but—"

"You're too easy," Haley teased, swatting his arm playfully, "I'd like that very much."

"You would?" Billy verified, "Because if you have additional obligations due to overseeing the event and can't—"

"I'll put my senior employees on watch for a few hours," Haley compromised, "But maybe after the wedding we could go for a drink? Make it a real date?"

Billy exhaled, "I'd like that very much," he said, echoing her words.

Unsure of how else to resolve this particularly mushy moment, Haley did what she knew best, business. She held out her hand for Billy to shake. He did so, albeit tentatively, and they nodded their ascent to the agreed upon date. Billy squirmed a bit after that, still reeling from his bravery. Haley just smiled.

Zack and Tommy were speechless. They'd been fairly mum the whole time, too enthralled by what they were witnessing to say a word. But it was clear what had occurred just now. And though Zack had concocted the lame dancing lesson as way of getting them to talk, Billy had pretty much scored entirely on his own. Zack couldn't have been more proud.

"Well, if you two cupids need anything else," Haley approached them finally, "I really do have to get back to the office."

"We'll lock up when we're done," Tommy assured her.

She just laughed and shook her head. She turned and gave Billy one final smile.

"See you later," she called out, retreating once again through the storeroom doors.

Billy sighed thoughtfully, his own smile relaxing into a stern furrow as he rounded in on his two friends.

"The next time you'd like to entertain yourselves with another matchmaking scheme on my behalf, inform me first?"

Tommy nodded obediently as Zack crowed hysterically. Billy yelped as Zack's shorter frame rushed him headfirst and hoisted him over his shoulder.

Tommy laughed as Zack spun around gleefully, Billy flailing awkwardly in his arms.

Tommy was relieved, to say the least. It did his heart good to see his friend come out of his gloomy attitude.

But a bittersweet thought interrupted Tommy's thoughts as he watched his friends' antics. He was glad their crazy plan for Billy had worked after all. But there was still the looming showdown between Jason and Kat. As tired as the whole drama was, it was still an inescapable truth.

"_Well," _Tommy thought to himself,_ "One down, two to go."_

_**AN: Well that had a little bit of everything. The countdown continues folks. Each chapter brings us closer to the finale. Please Review! Catch ya on the flipside!**_


	45. Fuel

_**Pulse**_

_**AN: Hello again. Sorry for the delay, life happens. A confrontation approaches, maybe even more than one and more wedding nonsense! Please Read and Review! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Chapter 45**_

_**Fuel**_

_October 1__st__, 2008_

_1:26pm_

_Supreme Nails Salon & Spa_

_Reefside, California_

A day of pampering was a thing of joy…sort of.

Kim examined her nails with one scrutinizing eye. Her other eye was shut, nuzzled against the massage table's pillow.

Aisha's first duty as the Maid of Honor, was booking the traditional beauty treatments they were receiving. The salon offered a "Supreme Bridal Package", complete with an hour massage, optional sauna steam bath, and of course the deluxe manicure and pedicure. Annie had been given an offer to accompany her mom and aunt but declined, claiming she had ''too much work to do". The older women knew the girl was still a bit gun shy after the bridal shop incident, not to mention the teen's anxiety over practicing her wedding song.

So the adults went it alone, with the possibility of Katherine joining them a little later. They had opted to start with the massage, skip the sauna and end with their nails.

They'd deal with hair and makeup later in the week. Aisha already had appointments for both of those. She was a responsible Maid of Honor after all.

"Should I do pink or flesh tone, Sha?" Kim wondered absently, still considering her nails.

Aisha involuntarily groaned as the masseuse kneaded a particularly large knot on her side.

"How pink are we talking?" Aisha asked.

Kim shut her eyes as her own masseuse rolled her hands up Kim's spine. It was that halfway point between stabbing pain and immense relief.

"Light pink," Kim ground out as the masseuse continued to tenderize her back, "Like my dress."

Her words hummed as her mouth vibrated against the table from the massage. Kim never knew if the discomfort she felt during these things was supposed to happen or if it was a sign of something wrong. She said nothing about it, grateful for the gift Aisha had provided. But damn it if her masseuse wasn't awfully rough.

"Well, I _have_ to go bright pink," Aisha piped up.

Unlike Kim, she loved the pain that came naturally to a deep massage. She wanted all the kinks and knots eliminated. And however hard that meant you had to knead and pull and rub, so much the better.

"I know this is a new color for you," Kim said as cheekily as she could. It sounded more pathetic with her face smashed against the table, but Aisha caught her tone nonetheless.

"At least the dress is cute," Aisha snickered, "I guess that makes up for it."

"What time is it?" Kim asked.

The masseuse glanced at the clock and informed her it was half past one already. Another half hour of punishment or pleasure, depending on your perspective.

"I hope Kat gets back in time to get her nails done with us," Kim added.

Aisha grunted, "It was her choice to go down to L.A. and pick up your dress."

"Sha…" Kim warned gently. Kat's effusiveness was wearing thin. But Kim knew the real reason for this latest trip.

"How many times has she made that trip in the last three days?" Aisha continued, "Even _Jason_ thought it was sketchy."

"I think she's trying to avoid Billy for a little longer," Kim explained, "Give Jason a chance to see him first without her there."

"Billy won't care," Aisha supplied, "Nothing like a hot date to ease your pain."

Kim winced as the skin along her neck was pulled. The masseuse seemed to catch this particular cry and moved lower instead.

"Kat cheated on him with his close friend," Kim reasoned, "One date with a new woman is not going to erase that."

"Zack said Billy was pretty jazzed," Aisha sang, "They're going out after the wedding."

"I know everything that you know," Kim reminded her, "Tommy and Zack were like two giggling school girls."

Aisha's muffled laughter created a hollow echo in the small room. She turned her head to face Kim.

"They were pretty cute about it," Aisha giggled, "In that obnoxious way."

Kim's eyes were watering. She couldn't tell if the pain in her chest was from her trying to laugh or from her lockdown position for the past thirty minutes.

"I just want the drama to be over," Kim whined.

"Oh it will," Aisha assured her, "One way or another, this shit will end."

Kim grumbled and buried her head fully into her pillow.

_October 1__st__, 2008_

_1:26pm_

_Angelo's Trattoria_

_Reefside, California_

Technically, Annie should have gone with Aisha and her mother to the salon, seeing as she too was in the wedding party. But statistically, Annie figured it was safer to avoid any more outings with the girls. Though the shoplifting incident grew dimmer every day, Annie decided to not take any chances.

Besides, running errands with her dad was proving fun. Not to mention stopping for lunch with Zack and Billy.

They were trying to take photos while seated at their table. Tommy was holding the camera at a skewed angle, refusing to simply ask a kind stranger to take the photo for them.

"It's more fun this way," he insisted, twisting his arm to reposition the lens.

Zack leaned in while Billy stood from his seat, per Tommy's direction. Annie timidly poked her head into frame.

Tommy counted down and pressed the button. His laughter echoed off the walls as Zack and Annie immediately returned to their seats while Billy and Tommy examined the photo.

"What's left for today?" Zack wondered aloud, munching on the remains of his sandwich.

Tommy handed off the camera to Billy for perusal before reaching for his planner and stack of memos.

"Adam and Tanya are coming in around three," Tommy muttered as he scanned his notes.

"Their accommodations are two doors down from mine," Billy chimed in absently, still examining the photos.

Tommy nodded, "They're checking out the stage space for the music."

"You said I could go with them, right?" Annie asked.

"Of course," Tommy nodded once more.

Zack wiped his hands clean with a napkin, nodding along as he finished chewing. "Then all that's left is bachelor party planning when Jas-"

Zack caught himself as Tommy shot him a nervous look. Billy just snickered and set down the camera.

"I will be more than happy to excuse myself from that if it would make everyone more comfortable."

Tommy cringed but forced himself to look at Billy. He didn't want the man excluded from anything, but he shamefully supposed it would be easier.

It was Zack's turn to snicker. "Billy-man, of course you'll be at the bachelor party. If planning this type of thing isn't for you, no problem," Zack assured him.

"What is a bachelor party, like, actually?" Annie wondered.

The three men looked between each other, grasping for an appropriate answer. Surprisingly, Billy calmly cleared his throat, adjusted his glasses and spoke.

"It is a pre-nuptial celebration wherein the typically all male designated portion of the wedding party gathers for a ceremonial binging of somewhat provocative behavior as a metaphorical rite of passage for the bridegroom."

Annie's brow furrowed into an unintentional scowl as she tried to follow her uncle's exhaustive answer. Zack barely stifled a laugh and Tommy had an almost identical expression as his daughter.

"It's a party for the groom," Tommy cut in, trying to ease Annie's frustration, or perhaps his own.

Annie rolled her eyes, "I got that part."

Billy too rolled his eyes, "I thought that aspect was elucidated."

He didn't know precisely why this exact moment set him off, but Tommy had had enough. Maybe it was all the tension mounting from the inevitable reunion of his combative friends, maybe it simply wedding stress, either way, Tommy was done. He exhaled dramatically and raised his hands in defeat.

"Fine. I'll stop trying to translate," he announced to the table, directing each statement at the respective individuals in front of him.

"Annie, yes, it's a party. Zack, you can stop giggling at any time. And Billy, I'd love for you to be a part of the bachelor party. But Jason is obviously going to be there and help plan it. So we might as well get this drama over with it before the actual wedding."

His speech wasn't terribly revelatory, nor was it the angriest he'd ever been. But it was always a bit startling to see Tommy in a mood that brooked no argument. He was very serious in those moments and his humor absent.

He stood from his place, grabbed his planner and notes and stalked off to the parking lot. Zack, despite Tommy's tepid warning, kept chuckling to himself. Billy had the grace to look somewhat embarrassed, and Annie crossed her arms in want of protest before deciding to follow her father.

_October 1__st__, 2008_

_3:24pm_

_Supreme Nails Salon & Spa_

_Reefside, California_

"It matches perfectly!" Kim squealed, holding her hand up to the dress.

Kat smiled as she looked over her shoulder. Since she'd arrived late, she only just started getting her own manicure. After massages and manicures of their own, Aisha and Kim were already drying their feet from the pedicures they'd also received.

Kim's wedding dress, encased in its clear plastic garment bag, was carefully draped across her lap as she mused happily at the color coordination of the gown to her polish.

"The dress looks good?" Kat wondered as the technician filed away at her hand.

"Yes, it looks perfect," Kim gushed.

Aisha rolled her eyes and snickered, flipping another page of her magazine. She wiggled her toes beneath the UV lamp by her feet. Another five minutes and they'd be properly primped.

"Oh Kim, " Kat called out, "I also picked up that other thing while I was there."

Kim's eyes became misty as she and Kat shared a look. "Thank you, Kat."

Aisha looked up from her magazine and scrutinized the two other women.

"What other thing?" Aisha asked.

Kat smiled sheepishly, turning her head to avoid Aisha's glare.

Kim bit her lip, "A dress," Kim explained with a shrug, "For Annie."

Aisha's eyes went wide, "A dress? You bought her a dress?" Aisha looked between Kat and Kim, "The same one she stole?"

"_Tried_ to steal," Kim corrected, "And I didn't buy it. Kat did."

"Really?" Aisha mused, turning back to glare at Kat once more.

Kat could feel the former yellow Ranger's eyes on her. It was suddenly more apparent than ever why Aisha's ninjetti animal had been the Bear.

Kat slowly turned again to face the woman.

"I thought it'd be gesture of good faith," Kat supplied.

"And I agreed," Kim backed her up.

"A gesture of good faith for who?" Aisha muttered under breath.

Kim idly smacked Aisha's arm, "Stop it," Kim whispered.

Aisha cleared her throat loudly, "So, Kat, how was L.A.?"

Kim groaned as Kat put on a sly smile, "I went alone, Aisha. You know that."

Aisha feigned innocence, "I know I know, I just meant, you've been going back and forth so much, I was just asking how it was...for the eighth time this week."

Kat bit her tongue. Aisha's recent cattiness toward her was tiresome, not to mention hurtful. After all, if Kim could forgive her, why couldn't Aisha? And if Aisha's sudden backlash wasn't about the affair with Jason, then what was it about? Katherine supposed she had been a bit saccharine with Kimberly's affections after they'd made amends. But hadn't Kat already explained she felt guilty? It certainly wasn't as though Kat thought she could replace Aisha. Nor would she want to. She was just trying to help where she could.

"Just trying to avoid the drama," Kat intoned, giving Aisha a pointed look.

Despite the tension, Kim laughed at Kat's barb as Aisha scoffed.

"Right, Sha?" Kim mused, "One way or another, this shit will end?"

Aisha rolled her eyes at the bride-to-be and zeroed in on Kat once more.

"Avoid the drama or delay it?"

Kat snickered, though the comment stung, "Aisha, why do you care? It's not any of your business whether or not Billy and I make up."

"Sure it is," Aisha threw back, "It could potentially disrupt this wedding and I don't want to see that happen."

Kim felt obliged to chime in, "Now wait, Sha," she started, "I don't think Kat or Billy or anybody wants that either."

"Of course not," Kat nodded.

"But the longer you keep hiding the worse it's gonna get," Aisha warned.

Kim sat up and placed a halting arm on Aisha, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What happened to 'Billy won't care'?" Kim reminded her.

"I mean, he might not, but what if he sees Kat and just flips?" Aisha countered.

"Do you honestly think Billy would do that?" Kat asked.

"I don't know!" Aisha shrieked, "I never expected Billy to punch Jason but there ya go!"

"That was different," Kat reasoned.

"Yeah, that was immediately after finding out," Kim added.

Aisha shot Kim an incredulous look, "What about you? What happened to "Kat cheated' and 'one date won't erase that'?"

Kat eyes went wide as Kim looked frantically between the two women. She chose to answer Aisha's questioning gaze first.

"I just meant that Billy wouldn't completely dismiss Kat, that's all," Kim stated plainly as Kat's expectant stare burned through her.

"Billy has a—a date," Kim added slowly, "With the woman who—who—owns the café."

"Tommy and Kim set it up," Aisha chimed in, receiving a withering glare from Kim.

Kat looked pensive, though to her credit, she remained calm. Kim exhaled deeply. She was relieved in a way to have had all this come out now. Though part of her also wanted to throttle Aisha a bit too.

Kim cleared her throat, "Kat, we just thought maybe if he met someone new…"

Kat stopped her with a nod, "I understand, Kimberly. It was very thoughtful of you guys to want that for Billy."

"God," Kimberly exhaled, "I'm sorry if that makes seeing him any harder."

"Why should it? She's the one that cheated," Aisha piped up, "She has no right to feel bad if Billy wants to move on."

"Aisha, lay off!" Kim practically shouted, "Kat's not a threat to anyone. Just shut up and stop it already. You're being obnoxious."

Aisha winced but had the decency to look ashamed as she mumbled, "Sorry…"

Kat shook her head, "No, Kim, she's not wrong. You've no reason to accommodate my feelings about this. No reason to check in with me. He deserves every happiness after what I did. I hope he is—or at least, will be."

"I hope so too," Kim quietly agreed.

_October 1__st__, 2008_

_3:24pm _

_Haley's Cyber Café_

_Reefside, California_

"Damn it," Tommy grumbled, "The box of place cards is still in the car."

"I'll grab 'em," Jason offered, setting his stack of supplies down by the door.

"How is Kat?" Zack asked, holding the door for Tommy.

Jason shot Zack a knowing look. Tommy just rolled his eyes and headed inside. The original black Ranger was fishing for information, as much for himself as for Aisha.

But to Jason's credit, he kept his answer plain.

"Kat's doing great," Jason replied, "She picked up Kim's dress and headed straight to the salon to meet up with the girls."

Zack chuckled as Tommy returned, grabbing Jason's former stack of boxes left on the ground.

As Jason sprinted back to the car he called out, "Where are Tanya and Adam?"

Tommy checked his watch precariously as he balanced the items in his hand, "They got in a half hour ago," Tommy called back, "They stopped at the hotel to check in and unload first."

"Should be here shortly," Zack added.

"Right on," Jason yelled back, " Can't wait to see them."

"Me either!" Tommy shouted, heading back inside.

"Grab my water bottle too, will ya?" Zack asked as he followed Tommy indoors.

Jason snickered as he reached Tommy's jeep and popped the trunk gate open.

The sound of a car approaching caught his attention. He lifted his gaze to see three familiar faces rounding out of a blue sedan.

His excitement upon seeing Adam and Tanya was cut short by the appearance of the third face, but he hoped to play off his anxiety.

"Hey, you made it!" He announced, louder than necessary.

Tanya reached him first as Adam followed, carrying a guitar case in his hands.

"Good to see you again," Jason said as Tanya's slender arms came to wrap him in a hug.

"You too," came Tanya's muffled reply as her face became buried in his chest.

"Hey Jase," was Adam's soft greeting, coming up behind the pair.

Tanya and Jason broke their embrace as Adam reached out a friendly hand.

The men shook hands before laughing as Jason pulled Adam in for a one armed hug.

"Good to see you, bro," Jason said absently as Adam nodded. The last remaining arrival now clearly in his view.

Adam caught Jason's gaze and saw the fear in his eyes. Adam cleared his throat.

"Is everyone else inside?" Adam asked loudly.

Jason broke his stare and looked back at the couple with a nervous smile, "Yep. Annie's been anxious to see you guys."

Tanya and Adam laughed as they nodded and started for the door, but not before throwing a quick glance between Jason and the man that had driven them to the café.

"Well," Tanya said quickly, "Better not keep her waiting any longer."

Adam snuck a last supportive clap onto Jason's shoulder before heading inside with his wife.

Jason watched them disappear through the door for a moment longer. Wanting to prolong this next inevitable reunion.

After what seemed like an eternity, Jason finally managed to turn his head back to the car. The man he had avoided for so long a mere ten feet away. Billy remained by the driver's side door, having stepped out of the car when he'd arrived but not moved from his spot.

The two estranged friends just locked eyes for a while, both silently assessing the other.

Whether it spoke to his character, or perhaps simply just his guilt, Jason was the first to finally speak.

"Hey," he choked out with a nod.

Jason could see Billy's eyes squint, as if judging the other man's fairly ineloquent greeting.

"Hello."

Jason gritted his teeth. This was already proving difficult. Not that he expected anything less, nor did he think he deserved better, but Billy's terse tone was far more intimidating than a lot of things he'd encountered in his life. And that was definitely saying something. Jason's only hope was that while Billy didn't seem terribly pleased, he hadn't left either.

"So, you drove Adam and Tanya here?" Jason asked with a grimace, immediately recognizing the absurdity of his painfully obvious question.

Billy just nodded silently.

"You pick them up from the airport?" Jason wondered.

"The hotel," Billy corrected, "We're all staying there."

Jason smiled sheepishly as he nodded. Six words weren't bad. Better than before.

"So, the wedding, huh?" Jason spewed out suddenly with a laugh.

Billy rolled his eyes, "Jason…"

Jason swallowed the rest of his laughter, nodding knowingly. He knew he was stalling. They both did.

"I know, Billy," Jason said quietly after a moment, "I know."

"As amusing as it is watching you stumble through these platitudes, I believe some acknowledgement of what has transpired between us is necessary at this juncture. Either to reinforce the deterioration of this friendship or to enable a reconciliation."

Jason found himself genuinely smiling. He'd missed Billy's overwrought explanations, the big words: the always slightly condescending tone. In spite of it all, he'd really missed his friend.

"Billy," he started slowly, "I don't—saying 'I'm sorry' doesn't even begin—"

"No, it doesn't," Billy said curtly.

"But you gotta know that I am," Jason rushed to continue, "Billy I am so sorry."

"Are you?" Billy asked, receiving a puzzled look from Jason. Billy sighed and clarified, "You're not sorry about being with Kat."

Jason ducked his head, "No, I'm not sorry about that," he confirmed, "I love her."

Billy inhaled sharply, "So did I."

Jason nodded, "I know."

"I'm not—" Billy started, his voice beginning to crack. Jason lifted his eyes once more at the sound.

"I'm not the worldliest guy in terms of women," Billy started again, choking on his awkward admission. "Katherine was a lot of firsts for me."

Jason nodded, "I know."

"I'm not like you, Jason," Billy added, his tears now fully realized, "Or like Zack or Tommy or any of you. I can't act as though this transgression didn't devastate me."

Jason nodded, "I know."

"Stop saying that!" Billy shouted, "Acknowledging trespass does not guarantee integrity!"

Jason winced. He understood enough of what that meant to say nothing this time.

"However," Billy calmed himself, "I recognize the fraternal bond we've had preceded Katherine and I acknowledge that your ratio of good deeds put forth in said fraternal bond far outweighs the bad. In fact, I'd be remiss if I didn't admit that this affair with Katherine was the only bad thing you've ever committed, at least toward me and our friendship."

Jason wanted to nod. Wanted to acknowledge that his affair with Katherine was indeed the worst thing he'd ever done to Billy.

"Furthermore," Billy went on, "I am content with my current circumstances. Far more content than I initially thought I would be. This does not dismiss the betrayal and hurt that your actions have inflicted, but I suppose it does put them into perspective. I can't say I will be overly ingratiating when it comes to your relationship with Katherine but I will certainly not go out of my way to interfere either. "

Jason braved a small look in Billy's direction. "I'm sorry we lied to you."

It was Billy's turn to nod this time. He flashed Jason a smirk, "I know."

Jason managed a tiny chuckle, "I never meant to hurt anyone. Least of all you."

Billy nodded, "It was an absolutely asinine handling of the situation."

"Yeah…" Jason said glumly.

"But I didn't react much better," Billy admitted, "Hitting you might have temporarily relieved my frustrations but it certainly wasn't a solution."

"It was a really good punch," Jason mused, instinctually rubbing his jaw.

Billy laughed to himself, "Perhaps I am more like you than I thought."

"Oh yeah!" Jason agreed, "If I was you, I'd have punch me too."

Billy smiled, "You know, that's actually good to know."

"You're a low brow cretin like the rest of us," Jason chuckled.

Billy shot him a look to which Jason held up his hands.

"Sorry, are we not back to joking yet?" Jason asked seriously.

Billy raised a scrutinizing eyebrow, "For the sake of Tommy and Kimberly's nuptials, I suppose it would behoove us to attempt amnesty."

"Just for the wedding's sake?" Jason worried, "Not for us? Our friendship?"

Billy considered the question. "Let this week's festivities determine if our friendship is sustainable. Our best behavior is in accordance anyway, and we will see."

"I guess that's fair," Jason mumbled.

"You're not the only one who misses the camaraderie, Jason," Billy informed him, "And I certainly don't want to avoid you or Kat forever, but this whole reconciliation might be a slow process."

"And I've never been good at patience," Jason conceded.

"No," Billy shot him a knowing look, "Patience is not your virtue."

Jason laughed bitterly, "That was a loaded comment."

Billy shrugged, "It could have been worse."

"You could have punched me again," Jason considered.

Billy snickered, "Yes."

An awkward but far less tense silence fell between them for a moment. Both men realizing they hadn't moved from their initial spots since they began their conversation. Billy finally broke the silence and nudged his chin in the direction of the jeep.

"Were you bringing more supplies inside?"

Jason snapped out of his daze and nodded, "Yeah. Box of place cards."

Billy walked over to his side as Jason reached for the box.

"So, I hear you got a date with this Haley woman?" Jason braved.

Billy shot him a wry smile, "Keep away."

It took all of three seconds for Jason to abandon the item and grab Billy instead.

The two locked in an aggressive hug, Jason's eyes watering with all the guilt he'd been harboring for the last several months.

Billy was surprisingly stoic, having cried months before and getting slightly emotional earlier today. He sighed gruffly as Jason squeezed his apology into him.

"I can't tell you I forgive you yet," Billy whispered.

Jason nodded as he pulled away, his hands still on Billy's shoulders.

"I'll take what I can get."

Billy nodded as Jason finally released him, offering to carry the box with outstretched arms.

"Thanks," Jason said, handing off the box as he then remembered to grab Zack's water bottle. They both knew Jason wasn't talking about the box, but neither said another word.

Billy started for the door as Jason closed the trunk and ran to follow his friend inside.

_**AN: Well, there it was. The "showdown" between Billy and Jason. Hope you weren't disappointed it wasn't more violent or explosive. And what is Aisha's problem? Hopefully Kim will forgive her quickly! Catch ya on the flipside!**_


End file.
